Two brothers arrested in connection with a July shooting in Aurora, Colorado, have been identified as members of a Venezuelan gang, and two other men are also suspected of being involved, local police said Wednesday.
Aurora Police Department Announced The brothers, Jonardy DeJesus Pacheco Chirinos and Jonardy Jose Pacheco Chirinos, were identified as members of Tren de Aragua, an international crime organization that began in Venezuela and later established a base in the U.S. Both men were arrested following a shooting in Aurora on July 28. Remaining Two men were hospitalized with serious injuries. (Related article: Illegal immigrant arrested for DUI turns out to be MS-13 gang member wanted for murder)
The police statement also noted that two other men allegedly involved in the shootout, Dixon Azuaje Pérez and Nixon Azuaje Pérez, are also suspected of having ties to Venezuelan gangs.
“Any criminal activity, including gang activity, will not be tolerated,” the Aurora Police Department said in a statement Wednesday, adding that the brothers are currently in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “The Aurora Police Department will continue to fight crime and will find and arrest those responsible.”
NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 6: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents monitor hundreds of asylum seekers entering the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building in New York City on June 6, 2023. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
ICE confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation that all four are Venezuelan nationals and entered the United States at the southern border during the Biden-Harris administration. ICE said DeJesus Pacheco Chirinos and Jose Pacheco Chirinos were apprehended by Border Patrol on Oct. 2, 2022, and released into the country.
According to the agency, Dixon and Nixon were apprehended by the Border Patrol on Aug. 22, 2023, and released into the country. They are currently being held in the Adams County Jail in Colorado, where ICE confirmed it has issued detention orders for the pair.
Aurora drew national media attention last month after a video showing armed men inside an apartment building went viral. Federal immigration officials later identified the men in the video as members of Tren de Aragua, and Aurora city officials sought a court order to vacate the building. According to To Fox 31.
Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis' office initially denied the allegations that gang members had taken over the Aurora apartment, saying a spokesman tell The New York Post reported, “The invasion… [Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky’s] Imagine that.”
Jurinski had issued a statement in early August warning about Tren de Aragua's activities in Aurora.
“I will continue to speak out until the border is closed and this gang is solved!” the councillor said. stated “I hope local media will step up and help tell the truth,” he posted on social media on Aug. 26.
Colorado is Identified The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for tougher immigration laws, has labeled Canada a “sanctuary” state, citing a September 2014 prison policy that prohibits authorities from honoring detention requests from ICE.
As an independent, nonpartisan news service, all content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available free of charge to any legitimate news publisher with a large readership. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and affiliation with the DCNF. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
