Aurora, CO, Police Chief Todd Chamberlain said, “there is a ‘high assumption'” that the suspects involved in an armed home invasion likely belong to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).
It is the same complex that has been at the center of discussion over the presence of TdA in Aurora, CO.
Around 15 armed people invaded a home in Aurora, forcing out the man and woman and pushing them into another unit against their will.
Chamberlain told the media the suspects tied up and pistol-whipped the victims.
The male victim also had a stab wound:
“I am utilizing any resource that I can to verify who these individuals are, who these suspects are, what their involvement is with this crime and what their identities are. I am presently using the Department of Homeland Security, I am using HSI and I am also using ICE to help identify who these suspects are and what actions they are involved in,” said Chamberlain during a press conference.The victims are currently in the hospital being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.During the press conference, Chamberlain said that based on his expertise, he can guarantee “without question this is a gang incident.” However, he said he didn’t know which gang was involved and if it was Tren de Aragua, but police are still investigating.Chamberlain said it is incredibly hard to identify people as belonging to TdA because there are no specific markers or identifiers unless the suspects self-identify. However, Chamberlain said there is a “high assumption” they may be affiliated with TdA.“What I will say based on the actions that I saw, based on how the event unfolded, this is 100% gang activity,” said Chamberlain.
The suspects held the victims against their will for several hours. The suspects then ransacked the victims’ home, stealing valuables.
They did not free the man and woman until they promised they would not call the police.
The victims called the police from a friend’s house.
Chamberlain described the complex as a “criminal nuisance” in the past.
Chamberlain said today: “This is an incredibly problematic complex, it is an incredibly crime-riddled complex that I think we have been focusing on, the City of Aurora has been focusing on, and without question, attention will not stop until every individual who victimizes somebody else will be held accountable or be removed from that complex.”
The city and owners of the complex agreed to close the complex.
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