Aurora mayor under fire: Do more to stop Venezuelan gangs, say residents

This photo posted by Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman on Facebook drew an angry response. Commenters said the mayor is ignoring Venezuelan gangs.Photo byMike Coffman

Aurora, Colo. -- A Facebook post Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman made about meeting with business owners at Colfax and Iola quickly turned into an attack on Coffman over a perceived lack of action against Venezuelan gangs in the city.

The city recently condemned a property on Nome Street that allegedly contained Venezuelan gang members. However, the property had been in disrepair for many years, long before the gangs moved in, city officials said.

Coupled with a massive gathering of Venezuelans in the Target parking lot the eve of the Venezuelan elections, many residents have expressed fear, anger and disdain over the threat they believe the migrants pose. Several people sabotaged Coffman’s Facebook post about crime at Colfax and Iola to accuse him of being in on a grand plan to allow the migrants.

Posted Brian Young in all capital letters: "Where is the National Guard? Where are the police? Why aren’t you stopping this? Are you part of it?”

Coffman: ‘Hysteria’ over gang reports

Last week, Coffman told KUSA 9 News journalist Kyle Clark that the issue of the Venezuelan gangs had created “hysteria.” He noted a task force has been created within the police department on the issue and the gangs are being investigated and handled. One major arrest was made earlier this week, police said.

But his Facebook post garnered little praise. Posted AJ Triker: “What the (expletive) are you doing about the Venezuelan gangs taking over your city?”

Jamal Wilson Cloonan accused Coffman, a Republican, of colluding with President Biden and Kamala Harris. “Hey Mike Coffman if you don't get your Biden/Harris regime under control with these Venezuelan gangs that you brought in, we the people will, and we will, take our state back.”

Are Colfax problems bigger than Venezuelan gangs?

Coffman’s Facebook post described his meeting with the business owners. They are concerned about “drug dealing, drug use, solicitation, violence and thefts that occur in and around their businesses and the response from APD PAR officers,” the mayor posted. “I'm optimistic about the difference our first permanent chief of police, Todd Chamberlain, can make who, after 28 months of interim police chiefs, will take charge of APD next month and develop and execute a comprehensive plan for addressing our challenges from crime in the Colfax corridor to gangs, to the increase in property crimes in our city.”

Coffman has acknowledged the gangs are in Aurora. But in his interview with Clark he said the response has been such that illegitimate reports about gangs clog the 911 call center, detracting from police work such as tracking down criminals.

National news media paints picture of Aurora under siege

Meantime, the national news media, from Newsweek to the New York Post to conservative YouTubers, all have reported on Aurora’s gang “problem,” for those who agree to call it that.

The New York Post’s headline on its article reported, “Brutal Venezuelan gang violence spills into quiet suburb from the sanctuary city next door— despite efforts to keep migrants out.” While it’s true Denver is a sanctuary city and Aurora has tried to keep the Venezuelan migrants out, violence has not occurred in Denver and “spilled over.” There have been no reports of mass Venezuelan gang violence in Denver. Both cities claim incidents involving the gangs have been isolated.

In another fib, Newsweek proclaimed, “Colorado town being 'overrun' by Venezuelan gangs.” While three or four apartment buildings may harbor gang members, according to Coffman, that hardly constitutes an entire city of more than 400,000.

People who consume this media likely are concerned about what’s going on in Aurora, as the reporting makes the problem sound pervasive. “Are you gonna allow the Venezuelan gang to go and take over the ice cream shop too?” asked Bradley McCabe in the comments section of the Facebook post.