Five more migrants detained in Aurora, Colorado, home invasion possibly linked to brutal Venezuelan gang
Police in Aurora, Colorado, have apprehended five more migrants in connection with an armed home invasion and kidnapping that took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning. This brings the total number of migrants detained in relation to the incident to 19. The horrifying ordeal involved two victims being assaulted, restrained, and forcibly taken from a Denver suburb.
According to a spokesperson for ICE who spoke to Fox News Digital, 16 of the individuals in custody have been identified as Venezuelan nationals residing in the U.S. without proper authorization. These individuals are suspected of being members or associates of the violent Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua. This criminal organization has been wreaking havoc in the Aurora community for over a year.
The ICE official further stated that the 16 suspects will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings or hearings before an immigration judge. Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain described the home invasion as unequivocally a gang-related incident. However, Joe Moylan, a representative for the Aurora Police Department, mentioned that authorities are still in the process of positively identifying the suspects and have not definitively confirmed the gang affiliation of the incident.
The incident unfolded when police responded to a distress call from a housing complex in Aurora, The Edge at Lowry Apartments, just before 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The victims had reportedly been attacked and forcibly taken to another apartment within the same complex. One of the victims, a male, sustained a stab wound during the ordeal but is expected to recover. Both victims are currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
Following the initial arrests, Aurora police executed an additional warrant at the apartment complex later in the day, leading to the detention of five more migrants for questioning. Local law enforcement is collaborating with federal authorities, including Homeland Security Investigators, to establish the identities of all individuals involved in the incident.
City council member Roger Hudson from nearby Castle Pines, Colorado, who has been in contact with the apartment owner, expressed that many residents in the area believe Tren de Aragua to be responsible for the heinous act. Hudson emphasized the increasing power, danger, and desperation exhibited by the gang in recent times. He criticized the sanctuary policies implemented by Colorado and the City of Denver, claiming that these policies hinder state and local law enforcement’s ability to safeguard the community from threats like Tren de Aragua.
“This is lawlessness in the West, and you can’t have that. That’s not who we are as a country. That’s not who we are as a state,” Hudson stated.
The situation remains under investigation, and further updates are expected to be provided by the Aurora police chief in subsequent press conferences. The authorities are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of residents in the face of such criminal activities.
