AURORA, Colorado — Aurora has come under national attention following unconfirmed reports of a Venezuelan gang taking over an apartment complex after a video went viral showing a group of armed men inside an apartment complex.

The department shared video on Friday of officers speaking with residents of The Edge at the Lowry apartment complex, located at 1218 Dallas Street. It is one of the buildings at the center of concerns over alleged activity by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA).

However, Aurora Interim Police Chief Heather Morris said in an interview provided by police that officers have found no evidence of a gang takeover.

“We’ve been talking to the residents here and learning from them to figure out exactly what’s going on. And there’s definitely a different picture. I’m not saying there aren’t gang members that don’t live in this community, but what we’re learning here is that gang members have not taken over this complex,” Morris said.

Still, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the city is seeking an emergency court order to close the apartment buildings he says have been overrun by the Venezuelan gang, labeling them a criminal nuisance.

Coffman said the apartments where gangs were active are all owned by the same owner, who had multiple code violations and criminal activity before the migrant crisis.

Despite unsubstantiated claims of gang takeovers, Denver metropolitan police departments, including the APD, have confirmed that TdA is active in the metro area. The city of Aurora said it is taking the threat seriously.

“Yes, we are concerned that there is a small Tren de Aragua (TdA) presence in Aurora and we have taken it seriously. We have responded. We have made arrests. We will continue to make arrests. We will continue to address the problems that the absentee, foreign owners of these properties have allowed to fester unchecked. Aurora will aggressively pursue all actions available under city code and criminal law,” the city said in a statement.

A TdA member, identified as Jhonardy Jose Pacheco-Chirino, was arrested last month in connection with a double shooting at 1568 Nome Street in Aurora. He is currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Another high-profile crime in the Denver area involved four Venezuelan nationals who were arrested in El Paso, Texas, in connection with an armed robbery of a Denver jewelry store in June.

Governor Jared Polis posted a statement on social media indicating that the state stands ready to provide APD with any assistance possible if requested.

“Colorado is a zero-tolerance state for illegal activity, building takeovers have no place in Colorado, and I am confident that the City of Aurora shares this core value and will enforce the law if it is violated there. I urge them to do so quickly and thoroughly. Over the past month, I have been in regular contact with the City of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department and have offered all possible state support to assist their efforts if requested. The state has stood ready for weeks to support any Aurora Police Department operation necessary to make Aurora safer,” Polis said.

Activists told Denver7 that the national attention on TdA’s presence in Colorado could be harmful to immigrants who have no ties to the gang.

Nate Kassa, a community organizer for the East Colfax Community Collective, said the headlines make life harder for the vast majority of immigrants who have recently come to Colorado and have nothing to do with TdA.

“That screams ‘racist’ to me. It screams to me that it’s taking a political opportunity to sow hatred against immigrants,” Kassa said.

Aurora police investigating claims of Venezuelan gang takeover of complex