Aurora Police Chief: “This is 100% Gang Activity”

OVERNIGHT INCIDENT | Todd Chamberlain, Aurora Police Chief. (Photo/El Comercio de Colorado)

TODD CHAMBERLAIN CONFIRMS VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS INVOLVED AS BOTH VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS IN A VIOLENT INCIDENT AT AN AURORA APARTMENT COMPLEX.

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

On the night of Monday, December 16, in The Edge at Lowry apartment complex in Aurora, police detained 14 individuals in connection with a violent kidnapping and assault. Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain confirmed that the incident has clear indications of gang activity, with Venezuelan individuals involved as both victims and aggressors.

The attack began around 8:45 p.m., when a group of 13 to 15 armed individuals (mostly men, with possible female participants) stormed an apartment located on 1200 Dallas Street. The two victims, a man, and a woman, were forcibly taken to another apartment within the same complex, where they were beaten, tied up, and assaulted, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.

The male victim was stabbed during the ordeal. While the victims were held captive, the assailants burglarized their original residence and later returned. With bravery and quick thinking, the victims convinced their captors to release them under the promise of not contacting the authorities. Upon being freed around 1:50 a.m., the victims fled to a friend’s house and called 911.

Ongoing Investigation and Gang Context

Chief Chamberlain explained that the investigation is still ongoing in collaboration with federal authorities such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to identify the detainees and confirm whether they belong to gangs like Tren de Aragua (TDA). While there is no definitive confirmation yet, Chamberlain stated, “This is 100% gang activity.”

The police chief highlighted a concerning trend where gangs tend to victimize members of their own ethnic community. Migrants, especially those who are undocumented, are easy targets due to their fear of reaching out to authorities. Chamberlain praised the courage of the victims for reporting the crime, emphasizing that the Aurora Police Department is committed to protecting victims regardless of their immigration status.

“I want to assure the community that immigration status is not an obstacle to reporting crimes. Our mission is to identify criminals and hold them accountable,” declared Chamberlain. Police continue to execute search warrants on multiple units within the complex as the investigation progresses. The victims, now safe, are receiving medical care and police protection.

MODUS OPERANDI | Chamberlain: “Venezuelans victimize other Venezuelans.” (Photo/El Comercio de Colorado)

Police Response and a Troubled Complex

The Edge at Lowry apartment complex is notorious for its high crime rates, making it a target of intervention by both the Aurora Police Department and the city administration. Chamberlain assured residents that efforts to eradicate criminal activity in the area will not cease. “We have worked proactively in this area, with ongoing arrests and patrols. We will not allow this place to remain a haven for crime,” he added.

Chamberlain concluded by pointing to a structural crisis in managing migration: “These individuals arrive without support or infrastructure. No one guided them. They were sent to places plagued by severe issues and criminality. Local communities are left to pick up the pieces of a broken system. However, in Aurora, we will not tolerate the victimization of our residents, regardless of their immigration status.”