AURORA, Colo. — An apartment complex that gained notoriety following a viral video involving an incident which prompted former President Donald Trump to declare that a Denver suburb had been overtaken by a Venezuelan gang is expected to shut down in early 2024, according to city officials.
The city of Aurora is moving to close five of the six buildings within the complex, following a troubling incident in August where armed individuals were recorded entering an apartment just before a deadly shooting occurred nearby. The community has reportedly experienced a significant amount of violent crime along with deteriorating living conditions, as stated by Aurora City Attorney Pete Schulte.
While the property owners, identified as CBZ Management, have attributed the lack of maintenance to the presence of the Tren de Aragua gang, a notorious Venezuelan group that they claim overtook the buildings, city officials argue that the owners neglected their responsibilities and allowed a lawless atmosphere to develop.
“They created an environment where the criminal element could move in and be unchecked,” Schulte noted, emphasizing that while gangs were involved in some of the crimes, many incidents were unrelated to gang activity.
Schulte did not disclose a specific percentage of crime directly linked to Tren de Aragua. He pointed out that the gang is known for their mobility and suggests that their members may have dispersed by now.
Efforts to obtain comments from CBZ Management and their legal representation regarding the ongoing issues have not yet received any responses.
During a court session concerning the city’s legal action for criminal nuisance on Thursday, the owners acknowledged that closing the buildings was a reasonable course of action. Schulte anticipates that a judge will formally order their closure in the upcoming court date on January 13. Once a final ruling is made, the city intends to provide residents a 30-day notice to vacate the premises.
In the recent hearing, the property owners did not contest the claims of the complex being linked to criminal behavior, which raises the possibility that they might request a trial, potentially prolonging the process of closure.
Aurora police confirmed that three of the six men featured in the video have since been apprehended. Two of them were taken into custody in New York City under a federal warrant issued last week, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement identifying both as members of Tren de Aragua.
Court documents reveal that the rifle visible in the viral video was the same weapon used in the fatal shooting that occurred about ten minutes later outside the apartment complex. This firearm was discovered disassembled in an oven within one of the residences, as recorded in an arrest warrant.
Interestingly, one of the six buildings in the complex will remain open as it is owned by a different division of CBZ. This building is currently under the management of a court-nominated official, appointed by the mortgage lender, who is overseeing necessary improvements to the property.