Following the release of a chilling surveillance video, officials in Aurora have begun to acknowledge the presence of Venezuelan gang activity in their Colorado city.

For Cindy Romero, life on the corner of 12th Avenue and Dallas Street has become a daily battle against escalating violence and neglect. Her life has evolved into a nightmarish ordeal marked by what she calls frequent encounters with crime and a lack of support from the city and police.

She first noticed a gradual increase in crime in her part of the Denver metropolitan area about a year and a half ago. In the last three months, it has gotten worse.

“We were constantly forced to take measures to protect ourselves,” Romero said. “I installed more locks, bought additional cameras and parked further away from the building. Despite all these efforts, the situation continued to escalate. We felt like we were being tortured.”

She reported seeing people moving automatic weapons and engaging in gunfights.

“I saw handguns, rifles with scopes and other firearms. It was so bad that bullets even went through my friend’s apartment and hit my car,” Romero said.

Despite frequent emergency calls, there was virtually no response from the police.

“The police called me and said they wouldn’t come unless it was a serious crime,” Romero said. “When I called the police to report a shooting, an officer asked me if I had considered leaving. If I could have afforded to leave, I would have.”

Romero installed several cameras that captured violent activity over weeks. One video from the doorbell shows a group of armed men forcing their way into her neighbor’s home. On another night, her camera outside captured two men approaching a vehicle with guns drawn.

Romero criticized city officials for their failure to address the problem.

“You were elected to protect your constituents. You raise money with your promises and yet you 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 really cared about our safety and worked to find solutions. It meant a lot to us that there was someone who really cared,” Romero said.

Jurinsky helped her move out and find a new apartment.

“I went in myself to help people move out. There was a large police presence, and at one point a man stormed up the stairs behind me,” said Jurinsky. “It was an eerie feeling. While I was helping people move out, others were moving in right in front of me.”

Shortly after a large gathering in Aurora in connection with the elections in Venezuela, Jurinsky first became aware of the increasing gang activity.

“People said that armed individuals were patrolling their properties and walking through their buildings. They repeatedly called the police, but there was no response,” Jurinsky said.

According to her, police leadership had instructed officers that at least three to four officers were required to respond to such situations. If that number was not available, officers were told not to respond.

The council member expressed frustration at being one of the few voices raising awareness about the issue.

She says that politics is being made with people’s lives.

“Behind some of these doors and housing complexes there is human suffering, but there are important elections coming up and nobody wants to talk about it. Because if they start talking about it, someone has to admit that there is a problem somewhere,” she said.

On Wednesday, Aurora police said they were aware that parts of TdA were deployed in Aurora.

In a statement, APD says, among other things:

“It would be inappropriate at this time for the City and APD to make any definitive statements about specific incidents or provide details about law enforcement strategies and operations. Based on our initial investigative work, we believe the reports of TdA’s influence in Aurora are isolated incidents.”

Jurinsky hopes that the release of Romero’s video footage will lead to action.

“The footage is too real to deny,” she said. “Something must be done now.”

Romero says she survived the ordeal by staying calm and giving them food and bed bug spray.

She said she prayed every night that she would hear sirens.

In her new home, far away, the peace she feels is fleeting. For many others, there is no way out, no solution and no sign that help will ever come, she says.

“My family lives in Aurora. My daughters live there. I convinced them to move to Aurora. If nobody does something now, their homes will be next,” she said.

The city and Aurora police have established a special task force to address concerns about Venezuelan gang activity.

APD urges all community members, including immigrant communities, to report crimes committed against them to local law enforcement and not to remain silent victims. Victims of crimes can report crimes anonymously by calling Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). As always, information is subject to change as investigations continue at the local, state and federal levels.