Aurora leaders backtrack on "overstated" claims of Venezuelan gang activity
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Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman pictured in January 2020. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc via Getty Images
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky issued a joint statement on Wednesday downplaying Venezuelan gang activity in the Denver metro area.
Why it matters: Both city leaders — who have fueled much of the misinformation on the issue — are now backpedaling and calling for calm one day after unfounded claims about gang violence in Aurora took center stage at Tuesday's presidential debate.
What they're saying: The prison gang Tren de Aragua "has not 'taken over' the city," the two Republican officials said in a statement Wednesday.
- "The overstated claims fueled by social media and through select news organizations are simply not true. Again, TdA's presence in Aurora is limited to specific properties, all of which the city has been addressing in various ways for months," they said.
Reality check: For weeks, Jurinsky has been the chief driver of claims that an Aurora apartment complex was "taken over" by Venezuelan gang members.
- Just days ago, she told Fox News that arguments against her allegations were a "huge cover-up," adding this "isn't just an Aurora issue."
- Coffman contributed to the confusion with contradictory statements on national TV.
The other side: In response to the joint statement, some of Colorado's top Democrats on Wednesday praised the city for clarifying.
- "Thank you to the City of Aurora for setting the record straight," U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, who represents Aurora, said on X. "These claims have led to a narrative that makes it harder for law enforcement to do their job and incited dangerous rhetoric against our immigrant community."
- His statement was reposted by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
State of play: Aurora police have linked 10 people to Tren de Aragua and arrested eight of those individuals between January and August, officials confirmed this week.
- Their arrests spanned various crimes including shootings and assaults, and many of those incidents happened at or near the Aurora apartment complexes that Jurinsky said had been taken over.
- "In line with these arrests, we can also now confirm that criminal activity, including TdA issues, had significantly affected those properties," according to the joint statement. City spokesperson Ryan Luby said Aurora police helped with the statement.
What we're watching: Whether Aurora's latest attempt to dispel confusion will quiet claims of the Venezuelan gang takeover.