DENVER — Videos spreading on social media since Aurora became a talking point for politicians to discuss U.S. immigration policy would have you believe lawlessness had reached such a low point the Hells Angels were ready to descend upon Colorado to fight back against the alleged takeover of a few apartment complexes by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
Despite police refuting those claims over the weekend, videos posted on X and TikTok continue to spread unsubstantiated allegations the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is coming to Colorado.
On Wednesday, the motorcycle club set the record straight.
“A social media rumor claiming that the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is headed to Aurora, Colorado to violently confront Venezuelan immigrants has gone viral,” a spokesperson for the club said in a statement posted by the Rocky Mountain charter on Instagram. “Most of these posts regurgitate this lie, and attempt to validate it with a video of motorcycles riding in organized pack.”
The video in question is this one. The problem? The video showing bikers riding on their way to Colorado is actually from 2013, according to a Community Note posted on X.
Aurora
APD investigates claim of Venezuelan gang takeover of apartment building
“The HAMC strongly denies the foundation and validity of these absolutely ridiculous and false claims,” the statement from the Hells Angels reads. “The HAMC does not involve itself in political issues outside of motorcycling and takes no stance on the issue of immigration or the presidential election.”
The statement from the Hells Angels also states the motorcycle club is “concerned only with motorcycle enthusiasm and benefiting the communities it resides in. A video of motorcycles riding in a pack provides no proof of this false rumor.”
Denver7 has been following developments in Aurora ever since city officials earlier this month told dozens of residents – many of them immigrants from Venezuela – that the apartment complex they were living in was going to be shut down due to a long list of code violations, which the property management company blamed on the Tren de Aragua gang.
Since then, Denver7 has kept you informed about Aurora’s effort to investigate the gang’s presence in the area, as well as more recent developments from the feds, which announced Wednesday they had partnered with Aurora PD as revelations come to light that “components” of the gang have been operating in both Aurora and Denver, though the crimes appear to be isolated at this time.
Mayor Coffman talks to Denver7 about alleged Venezuelan gang activity and his comments surrounding the issue:
Last Friday, the Aurora Police Department shared a video which showed officers engaging with residents of The Edge at the Lowry apartment complex, located at 1218 Dallas St – one of several buildings at the center of concerns regarding alleged activity by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
In the video, Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris said that officers found no evidence of a gang takeover.
“We've been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what exactly is going on. And there's definitely a different picture. I'm not saying that there's not gang members that don't live in this community, but what we're learning out here is that gang members have not taken over this complex,” Morris said.
Despite unfounded claims of gang takeovers, Denver metro police agencies, including APD, did confirm that Tren de Aragua is operating in the metro area, and the City of Aurora said they are taking the threat seriously.
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