KUSA – Aurora Police are reviewing surveillance video from a refugee services center after two threatening notes were discovered on the property Thursday morning.
The identical, typed notes read, “were gonna blow up all of you refugees!”
“One was found in the parking lot and one was found inside our building,” said Frank Anello, executive director of Project Worthmore.
Anello’s non-profit organization and others that provide medical, dental and educational services are housed inside the Mango House at 1532 Galena Street.
“It’s a hub for refugees. It’s a home. It’s a place where they feel welcome and safe,” Anello said. “What happened today – people are trying to make [refugees] feel unsafe, but that’s not going to happen.”
The discovery of the notes didn’t stop Anello and others from taking part in a planned rally to support refugees Thursday.
“We started out the day with people holding up signs on certain corners throughout city just standing with refugees,” Anello explained.
A group gathered at the capitol and marched to the offices of senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner to share a message of acceptance. Among them was Karak Maikol, a refugee from South Sudan who’s been living in Denver two years and works at the Mango House. She was startled when she heard about the threatening notes.
“When I came in the morning, they told me, ‘did you hear the news?’ I said, ‘what?’ And they say, ‘somebody threatening the whole building,’” Maikol said. “I feel fear. I’m fearing.”
Aurora Police are investigating the notes and no arrests have been made.
