(NewsNation) — Police and residents of an apartment complex in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Colorado, say a Venezuelan street gang has not gained control over the buildings, despite recent local and national media reports.
This allegation, which was also amplified by former President Donald Trump during a Fox News town hall, started after video footage surfaced of a group of men carrying guns at The Edge at Lowry apartments. Residents of the Edge, however, said at a press conference this week that this video has been taken out of context.
While a NewsNation correspondent did confirm that the individuals in the video were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has a presence in Aurora, interim Police Chief Heather Morris said they “have not taken over” the complex.
Instead, property managers are using the activity to get out of maintaining the apartment, residents say, and it’s them who need to be held accountable.
“They are trying to put us all in one group, all in one bag,” one resident said at a press conference this week. “They are trying to say that here there are delinquents, there are criminals. Here, there’s moms, there’s families.”
NewsNation local affiliate KDVR previously reported on conditions two weeks ago. Mountains of trash could be found outside the property after not being picked up for weeks. Those living at The Edge showed KDVR bedbugs and mice in glue traps that have gone untreated, even after being reported.
The city of Aurora has taken legal action against Zev Baumgarten with New York-based CBZ Management, which is in charge of The Edge. When NewsNation spoke with the mayor of Aurora, he backed up residents’ claims, saying the management company has done this before.
CBZ didn’t immediately return a telephone call seeking comment from The Associated Press.
Residents now say they want the narrative about the building to change, especially as some have gotten racist messages calling them “animals” and violent threats. Some people even came to the complex with signs saying, “We’re going to take Aurora back,” KDVR wrote.
NewsNation local affiliate KDVR and The Associated Press contributed to this report.