Written by George Church.
Crime has surged in Colorado over the past three months, particularly in the Aurora and Colorado Springs areas. Sanctuary policies have effectively rolled out the welcome mat to the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TDA), which has brought a wave of violent crime to our community. It is estimated that over 1,000 members of TDA are now present in the United States.
Denver has seen the highest number of migrants per capita nationwide, with more than 40,000 new arrivals since December 2022. Tren de Aragua has established operations in Aurora—a city of 390,000 people located just east of Denver—where they have taken over multiple apartment buildings, committing violent robberies, shootings, and assaults.
In Denver, Tren de Aragua member Jean Torres-Roman, 21, allegedly participated in a violent, caught-on-camera robbery of a jewelry store. Torres-Roman, who had been released from custody in Chicago a month earlier after being caught with a stolen gun, fled to El Paso, Texas, after the burglary and was apprehended at a local motel. In Colorado Springs, the gang has been involved in numerous gun store robberies throughout August and made an unsuccessful attempt to break into DCF Guns West.
Recently, Tren de Aragua’s leadership issued a "green light" for its members to shoot and attack law enforcement officers across the U.S. Colorado police have warned officers to wear body armor at all times and to stay on high alert. The threat posed by TDA is so severe that the Venezuelan government is refusing to accept deported TDA members back into the country.
At DCF Guns, we prepare you to be your own first responder. Police response times in the Denver area have increased more than fivefold since 2018, with high-priority calls now averaging a 14.5-minute response time. In Colorado Springs, the average is nearly 17 minutes, and in cases of store break-ins, it has taken over an hour for officers to arrive on the scene.
With the rise in violent crime, obtaining your concealed carry permit and getting proper training is more critical than ever. At DCF Guns, we offer various courses taught by award-winning instructors, including CCW qualification, pistol, carbine, and scenario drills. Our classes are designed for any age or skill level and will help you feel comfortable using your firearm in the event of self-defense. For any training, gunsmithing, and firearm needs, visit us at any of our three Colorado locations or find us online at dcfguns.com.
