Colorado authorities have begun to acknowledge the presence of Venezuelan gang activity in their Colorado town after the release of a terrifying surveillance video of a Colorado woman.
For Cindy Romero, living at the corner of 12th Avenue and Dallas Street has become a daily battle against escalating violence and neglect. Life has deteriorated into an ordeal, marked by frequent encounters with crime and what she calls a lack of support from the city and the police.
She first noticed a gradual increase in crime in her part of the Denver metro area about a year and a half ago. It has gotten worse in the past three months.
“We were constantly forced to take measures to protect ourselves,” Romero said. “I installed more locks, bought additional cameras and parked farther away from the building. Despite all these efforts, the situation continued to get worse. We felt like we were being tortured.”
She said she saw people moving automatic weapons and engaging in shootings.
“I saw handguns, rifles with scopes and other firearms. It got so bad that bullets even went through my friend’s apartment and hit my car,” Romero said.
“The police would call me and say they wouldn’t come unless it was a serious crime,” Romero said. “When I called the police to report a shooting, a police officer asked me if I had considered moving. If I could have afforded to leave, I would have.”
Romero installed several cameras that captured violent activity over the weeks. One doorbell video shows a group of armed men forcing their way into his neighbor’s home. Another night, his outdoor camera captured two men approaching a vehicle with guns drawn.
Romero criticized city officials for their failure to address the problem.
“You are elected to protect your constituents. You raise money through your promises, but you have let us die,” she said.
After a shooting on August 18, Romero was desperate. And this week, her cries for help were finally heard. By Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky.
“Jurinsky was the only one who was really interested in our safety and working to find solutions. It meant a lot to have someone who really cared,” Romero said.
Jurinsky helped her move and find another place to live.
“I went to help people move myself. There was a heavy police presence, and at one point a man charged up the stairs after me,” Jurinsky said. “It was a strange feeling. Even as I was helping people move, others were moving right in front of me.”
Jurinsky first became aware of the escalation in gang activity shortly after a large rally in Aurora tied to the Venezuelan election.
“People were saying that individuals were patrolling their properties with firearms and walking around their buildings. They called the police several times, but the response was inadequate,” Jurinsky said.
According to her, police leadership had instructed officers that a minimum of three to four officers were needed to respond to such situations. If those numbers were not available, officers were asked not to intervene.
The council member expressed frustration at being one of the few voices raising awareness about the issue.
She says politics plays with people’s lives.
“There’s human suffering on the other side of some of these doors and apartment complexes, but there’s a big election coming up and no one wants to talk about it. Because if they start talking about it, someone’s going to have to admit there’s a problem somewhere,” she said.
Source: Venezuelan gang activity confirmed by Aurora officials after release of Colorado woman’s surveillance video
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