Tren de Aragua members with ties to Colorado apartment takeovers arrested, police say



The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office confirmed Tuesday that four suspected transnational gang members were arrested in connection with Tren de Aragua's alleged takeover of an Aurora, Colorado, apartment complex.

Authorities told KDVR that six people were arrested this week at the Ivy Crossing Apartments. They are reportedly facing "a variety of charges" related to drugs and vehicle theft. Four of the detained individuals are suspected members of the violent Venezuelan gang.

'We developed a plan.'

Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown told KDVR, "We're looking for any violation that we can stop and make contact with somebody and addressing the issues that they might have."

Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security joined forces with the sheriff's office to conduct proactive patrol around the apartment complex on August 21. As a result, the agencies seized one stolen vehicle, ketamine, and 750 counterfeit pills.

"There had been some conversation that there were some things going on in our jurisdiction and we developed a plan," Brown told the news outlet.

It is currently unclear how the four individuals are connected to Tren de Aragua.

Last week, KDVR shared a video of five men armed with guns storming through Edge at Lowry, another apartment complex in Aurora. A separate video captured a man using a hammer to break a deadbolt lock on an apartment door in the same complex.

Former residents Cindy and Edward Romero warned that the area had turned into a hotspot for TDA gang activity after illegal immigrants started to move into the complex. They called living at the apartment "a nightmare," noting that their vehicle was riddled with bullet holes due to a shootout that occurred last month.

Along with locals, Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky has sounded the alarm about the increased gang presence in the area, blaming the uptick in criminal activity on neighboring Denver's sanctuary policies that have prompted illegal aliens to spill over into Aurora.

"In the entire Denver metro area, it has been like pulling teeth to get anyone, the media, other elected officials, to get anyone to acknowledge the presence of this trend and to acknowledge that there is even a problem," Jurinsky recently told Fox News Digital.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, has claimed that the TDA invasion is largely a figment of Jurinksy's "imagination," Blaze News previously reported.

"The governor has already let the mayor know that the state is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed," a spokesperson for the governor recently told the New York Post. "But according to police intelligence, this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination."

Local law enforcement has contended that TDA's influence in the area is "isolated," despite reports that the gang has managed to take over several apartment complexes.

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Tren de Aragua invasion figment of official's 'imagination,' Democrat Gov. Polis of Colorado claims, despite video evidence



Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, claimed Wednesday that reports that a violent Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, has invaded parts of the state are largely the figment of a city councilwoman's "imagination."

Polis released the comments after KDVR, a local news outlet, shared a video of a group of men carrying firearms while storming through an apartment complex in Aurora, Blaze News reported. A separate video of the same residence taken at what seems to be an earlier time captured a man using a hammer to destroy the door's deadbolt lock.

'Misinformation campaign threatens actual criminal investigations.'

The news outlet reported that illegal immigrants have taken over the apartment complex, which has since become a hot spot for criminal activity, including violent shoot-outs.

Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky recently told Fox News Digital that the Denver metropolitan area has been experiencing more gang-related crime.

As a result of the increased presence of TDA, the Aurora Police Department formed a special task force. However, police have noted that TDA's influence is "isolated" at this time.

Despite the video evidence and police reports of the gang's activity, Polis claimed that TDA's alleged takeover is largely "imagination."

Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for the governor, told the New York Post, "The governor has already let the mayor know that the state is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed."

"But according to police intelligence, this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination," Polis' spokesperson added.

Wieman told the Post that it is "illegal to take over buildings in Colorado" and that if Jurinsky has "knowledge" of such activity, Polis' office is "ready to assist" local law enforcement agencies in reclaiming the properties.

According to Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman (R), "there are several buildings" that have "fallen to these Venezuelan gangs."

The Post asked Polis' office whether it would like to retract its previous statements given the overwhelming evidence of TDA's presence in Aurora, but Wieman replied that the governor "really hopes that the city council members in charge stop trashing their own city when they are supposed to keep it safe."

"Over the last month, Governor Polis has been in regular contact with the city of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department and has offered all state assistance to support their efforts if requested," Wieman said.

Jurinsky told Fox News Digital, "My question back to the governor is: Is this also a figment of the Romeros' imagination?"

Cindy and Edward Romero, former residents of the Aurora apartment where the armed men were caught on surveillance footage storming through the complex, called living there "a nightmare." They reported that their vehicle was riddled with bullets from a shoot-out that took place this month before they moved out.

"There are people behind this that are solely playing politics," Jurinsky said. "That is so sad to me because they're real human beings, just like the Romeros suffering on the other side of those doors, living behind four deadbolt locks and a door brace and living in fear every day in these complexes."

"It is very promising that across the board, people are really seeing what is happening," she continued. "Video footage is only undeniable for our governor in Colorado. Everybody else across the country is seeing this for themselves."

Wieman told the news outlet, "We know violent crime in Aurora went down between 2022 and 2023, fully expect the data will show further declines for 2024, and the recent misinformation campaign threatens actual criminal investigations and could hurt the climate for small businesses in Aurora."

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Horowitz: Why won’t McConnell author ‘framework’ for locking up gun felons?



Here’s a novel idea for controlling gun violence and acting on “red flags.” Rather than the feds incentivizing states to “red-flag” those who haven’t committed a crime, why not incentivize states to keep those who actually shoot people with guns off the streets?

As we see again and again in America’s major cities, almost all the gun violence is committed by those with previous gun and violent felonies who commit more of the same crimes while out on parole, probation, or low-bail release pending trial. Many of them are caught multiple times illegally possessing handguns at the scenes of crimes but are not re-incarcerated.

Last week, Crime Watch Minneapolis, which constantly highlights the cases of lenient punishment for violent criminals, posted a mega-thread on Twitter detailing two dozen recent cases of violent gun felons escaping proper justice in the Minneapolis area.

\u201c\ud83d\udca5\ud83d\udca5\ud83d\udca5\nMEGA THREAD\nWe're sick of reposting these examples to the always available hypocrites in MN who bemoan "gun violence."\n\nWe hereby dismantle ANY argument from ANY Minnesota public official, representative or activist who calls for new gun laws and more gun control.\n\nShare.\u201d
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) 1654576216

For example, the group chronicled the case of Tasia Deanne White, who had 26 convictions, including 10 felonies for violent offenses and illegal possession of guns during a crime. She barely served time throughout the years and was recently charged with three new felonies, including felony possession of a gun, with two other felony cases still open. Yet Hennepin County state Judge Paul Scoggin granted her a downward sentencing departure and allowed her to serve three separate felony sentences concurrently.

It turns out that between 2013 and 2019, Minnesota prosecutors and judges chose to NOT pursue or issue minimum prison sentences in felony firearm cases 40% of the time. According to the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission (MSGC), the fastest-growing crime in Minnesota between 2010 and 2018 was possession of a firearm by a convicted felon who committed a crime of violence. This is the story of nearly every major city in America.

How is it that Republicans are getting sucked into the premise of the Left by focusing solely on lawful purchases and harassing gun store owners rather than holding Democrats accountable for going soft on the ultimate red flags for gun violence?

"I think if this framework becomes the actual piece of legislation, it's a step forward on a bipartisan basis and further demonstrates to the American people that we can come together, which we have done from time to time on things like infrastructure and postal reform, to make progress for the country," McConnell said on Tuesday in endorsing the new red-flag due process violations and holding gun stores accountable for crimes committed by purchasers.

Personally, I don’t believe there is a proper federal solution for this matter, but if we are going to use federal funds to incentivize states to circumvent due process, why not dangle those funds before state and local prosecutors to lock up known gun felons who exit the revolving door of our leaky justice system? Why not spend more money on expediting their trials so we don’t have repeat violent gun felons out indefinitely on low bail, many of whom contribute to a good number of the mass shootings on city streets? Why not make it about the known criminals?

Instead, McConnell and most other Republicans credulously joined with the Left in 2018 – when they had control over all three branches – to pass the “First Step Act,” which released thousands of federal drug traffickers. As anyone with a modicum of knowledge of criminal justice knows, those serving hard time for drug dealing in federal prison are usually gang members who have committed a lot of street violence with guns throughout the years.

The First Step Act allowed thousands of hardened federal criminals to go before a judge and apply for early release based on completing dubious “anti-recidivism” programs created by left-wing NGOs. A 2020 analysis by the Chicago Sun-Times shows that judges are signing off on the release of career criminals, including top gang leaders, much to the consternation of local prosecutors who are at their wits' end trying to stem the tide of gun violence.

The Sun-Times analyzed 200 cases of early release in Chicago under the First Step Act and found that "more than 60 percent" of those who applied were granted sentence reductions by judges, "including some of the nation's most notorious criminals." At the time, 75 applications for sentence reduction were granted, 45 denied, and the rest are still pending.

Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass put it best when he described "gun violence" as "a politically correct term that gives politicians wiggle room."

"It's not gun violence. It's street gang violence," Kass declared. "If we really cared about these victims and their memories, we'd have the decency to call what happened to them by its real name: gang wars."

So why isn’t this the message of GOP leaders Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn? Why are they not jujitsuing the Democrat clamor for gun control into criminal control and blaming Democrats for their de-incarceration agenda? Well, for one, it’s because these same Republicans bought into the Koch-funded pressure groups who pushed the same agenda during the Trump administration together with Jared Kushner.

Ironically, McConnell delivered a pretty good floor speech on Tuesday about the destruction wrought on this country by Soros prosecutors and the rising tide of crime. He talked about the endless shootings, carjackings, and drug overdoses.

My hometown of Louisville is struggling too. Over the past several years, violent crime has sharply risen across the city, breaking gruesome records including record homicides and assaults. And we’ve seen carjacking more than tripl[e] in the past five years.

Last weekend alone, Louisville saw three homicides and ten nonfatal shootings. Five teenagers and a 9-year-old were shot during a single altercation at my hometown’s Big Four Bridge. Violent criminals turned a popular attraction for families and tourists into a war zone.

He is absolutely right. But it’s not just the Soros prosecutors responsible for this morass. His own party spent close to a decade joining with the left on “criminal justice reform” rather than hitting Democrats over the head for the de-incarceration agenda and pursuing tougher sentences on violent criminals and repeat offenders. He complains about record drug overdoses, but he voted to let many of the worst dealers out of prison.

Moreover, if he really believes the words he spoke on Tuesday, how could he surrender our leverage on negotiations about gun violence without demanding a “three strikes and you’re out” violent gun felon law and funding more prosecutions of these people? If you are going to sell out on the Second and Fifth Amendments, at least secure some “tough on crime” provisions in exchange for it. Why focus on purchases of 18-year-olds who never committed a felony instead of focusing on the youth who have attacked people with guns and are responsible for the epidemic of carjackings in every major city?

Then there is the issue of illegal aliens. If McConnell is promising a deal with Democrats, he can at least demand in return that they agree to immediately remove all of the illegal alien gun felons. Why do we need to retain other countries’ gun felons when we have enough of our own? Biden’s de facto suspension of ICE operations has cut the number of gun felons removed from the country in half. According to ICE data obtained by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), in fiscal year 2019, ICE removed 3,121 foreign nationals charged with or convicted of weapons violations. That number declined 46% to 1,662 aliens in FY 2021 under Biden and is expected to be much lower for this fiscal year, with the full suspension policies in place. As the CIS notes, because of the suspension of the 287(g) program, the number of gun felons at the apprehension level already declined 52% in FY 2021.

Rather than red-flagging people without due process, why not remove criminal aliens caught with guns who don’t have a due process right to be in the country anyway?

Why is it that Republicans never get anything in return for selling us out, even on the same issue and for the very policies that Democrats are culpable for their bad outcomes? The only conclusion we can draw is that Republicans don’t want the same things we do.

Whitlock: Gang-of-function mutation terrorizes Washington Nationals Park and America



Saturday night in our nation's capital, gunshots outside Washington Nationals ballpark sent fans inside the stadium scrambling for safety, suspended a Major League Baseball game, and injured three people.

Mainstream corporate media blamed "gun violence." The more likely culprit is "gang violence." Police say the shots came from shooters in separate cars firing at each other. Maybe guns were behind the steering wheels and pulling the triggers. It's more likely gang members drove the cars and aimed the weapons.

As a country, we loathe talking about gang violence … unless we're glorifying it in music. We prefer to discuss the danger of guns and the evil of the National Rifle Association. I used to do it.

The last time "gun violence" impacted a sporting event, I argued in a column that the Second Amendment had outlived its usefulness. That was in 2012. A linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, Jovan Belcher, shot and killed his girlfriend, then drove to the team's practice facility and shot and killed himself in front of the team's head coach and general manager.

I wrote a piece for Fox Sports stating what I believed at the time — the proliferation of handguns makes America unsafe. The great broadcaster Bob Costas read an excerpt from my column on NBC's Sunday Night Football in America.

I've never liked guns. I still don't. But the last decade has helped me understand their value in a free society. A decade ago, I took American freedom for granted. I thought the people who argued that the political left would strip Americans of basic freedoms were crazy. Now I don't. The government and Big Tech are steadfastly censoring speech they don't like. They're dictating medical choices for all of us. They've recklessly opened our borders and relaxed immigration restrictions. They've undermined respect for and support of law enforcement to the point that many major cities feel lawless.

I live in a very nice, pricey area of midtown Nashville. There have been several shootings, including a murder, within a block of my building.

I'm going to get a gun in 2021. It's inevitable.

The gatekeepers of American culture, the super elites who live in gated communities and employ private security teams, have purposely created a culture that bows to violent gang culture.

Look at the reaction to what happened at Washington Nationals Park. A fan who left the game to catch an Uber was one of the victims. Gang violence directly impacted the sports world. Are the multimillionaire social activist athletes loudly decrying what happened? Have we heard from Colin Kaepernick or LeBron James? Has Jemele Hill tweeted a word?

They're all sitting by police scanners waiting for a white cop to shoot another unarmed black resisting criminal suspect. That happens about once a month. Gang shootings happen hourly across America. But you can't gain Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook followers by taking on the Crips, Bloods, Gangster Disciples, and MS-13.

What you can do is idolize and celebrate the rappers who normalize and celebrate gang culture and gang violence. I've long had a love-hate relationship with gangsta rap music. I consider commercial rap fast food, something that I enjoy but know is bad for my health. Dr. Dre is McDonald's, Tupac Shakur is Popeyes, and Tech N9ne is Wendy's.

You can't eat fast food forever. It's going to kill you.

The glorification of gang culture is killing America. You might think it's only killing black America. That's not true.

You have to think of the left-wing gatekeepers, the Hollywood and music executives who finance the promotion of gang culture, the same way as the scientists at the Wuhan lab in China. Gangsta rap is a gang-of-function mutation that escaped the lab and is killing us all. American culture is in crisis. We've legalized a lethal dose of immorality, dishonesty, and idolatry. Our code of conduct is driven by popularity, profit, and fear.

It's safer to demonize guns than gangs. Guns don't pull triggers. Gangs do.