But things like police cameras and bringing police cars to the area, those reduce fear and help catch perpetrators. All Rights Reserved. An Imam leads a group of men during the Dhuhr afternoon prayer at the Islamic Center of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, after the fourth Muslim man was murdered in the city. In 2019, there were only 22 homicides by April 18. For example, in 2017, during her time as a sergeant, Thomson saw one of the most heinous murders: the murder of John Soyka. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Its been a tough year, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina told reporters at a November 8 news conference. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Olympic ticket sales for Paris Games gets off to, 7 Cubs pitchers combine for no-hitter vs Machado,, Mikal Bridges helps Nets rally to stun Celtics, 115-105, NASCAR star Elliott has leg surgery after snowboard, U.S. jury poised to weigh international soccers, 2022 brought a record number of homicides. Syeds attorney argued that prosecutors gave no indication of the size of the area that his phone was in relative to the shooting. Legal Statement. The four men all Muslim and from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. We tripled the number of homicide detectives, and we invested $80 million in crime-fighting technology, he said. , New Mexico man accused of sex crime against student, One person dead, another hospitalized in SE ABQ shooting, Case dismissed for teen accused of taking gun to, Dancing in the Cave at the University of New Mexico, Whats happening around New Mexico Feb. 24 Mar. https://www.cabq.gov/police/documents/apd-homicide-list-for-web-site-as-of-17may2021.pdf/view, https://www.cabq.gov/@@site-logo/seal-small.png, Documents Related to APD Settlement Agreement, Documents Related to APD's Settlement Agreement, McClendon v. City of Albuquerque Settlement, Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog Reduction Project. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. So ultimately, there are no easy answers to explain why New Mexico is such a violent place. By this time last year, there were only 18. "The evidence that agents have been able to gather thus far in this rapidly unfolding investigation is obviously alarming with respect to the defendants short and frequent communications with his father both before and after the murder of Naeem Hussain," the motion stated. The lie that people are told is that drug crimes are nonviolent, Huffmyer says. Detectives on Thursday determined there is a connection between the Aug. 1, 2022, murder of Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, and the July 26, 2022, murder of Aftab Hartsock also notes that the department instituted regular check-ins on open murder cases to help come up with new ideas into investigations. All rights reserved. The record was broken that year and again in 2022. All but three of the 2021 killings are being investigated by Albuquerque police, the Albuquerque Journal reported. The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. The sooner people recognize that there is not one circumstance that is causing this, the better, Huffmyer says. Shaheen Syed was charged last week with lying about his address when he purchased two guns in 2021. City officials also have pointed to a lack of consequences for repeat offenders as one of the reasons Albuquerque continues to struggle with crime. An Imam leads a group of men during the Dhuhr afternoon prayer at the Islamic Center of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022, after the fourth Muslim man was murdered in the city. Yet one of the most basic crime prevention strategies is to make a place look clean, inviting, and cared for, she says. But Aneela Abad, general secretary for the Islamic Center of New Mexico, told The Associated Press the community is grappling not only with the losses, but also the fear and confusion. The boy will remain in state custody until hes 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law. or redistributed. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. The official website for the City of Albuquerque. APD sends NIBRS data to the FBI on a semiannual basis and this data is based on the reports available at that point in time. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. Muhammad Syed is scheduled to appear before a state district judge Wednesday as prosecutors seek to have him detained without bond pending trial on the two counts of murder. All rights reserved. And even data on violent crimes doesnt paint the full picture. Paul Best is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Albuquerque Police Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said at the time that "the motives are still being explored fully to understand what they are.". SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. While 2022 brought more homicides, APD also says theyve solved more cases in 2022 than in 2021. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A 14-year-old New Mexico boy accused of shooting and killing a classmate in 2021 has pleaded no contest to a charge of second-degree murder, prosecutors said Thursday. The boy will remain in state custody until hes 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law. Albuquerque is just known for abandoned cars, abandoned property.. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. In the first three quarters of 2021, Albuquerque had 111 violent crimes per 10,000 people, according to FBI data. The shooter opened fire during the lunch hour at Washington Middle School in front of numerous students who had returned for the fall semester just two days earlier. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The most recent murder took place on That put Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent cities with populations over 100,000 people. The data in citywide crime statistics report is based on the official data that APD sends to the FBI. All rights reserved. New Mexicos violent crime rate (also estimated) far outpaces our neighbors. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. There is no doubt that we face a tough road ahead. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP), "We are just completely shocked," she said, "and still trying to comprehend and understand what happened, how and why.". Family members told judge that Bennie was missed and that it hurt even more that another child was the one who committed the crime. Its similar populations, its similar locations in Albuquerque every year, he says. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. Market data provided by Factset. But, its worth remembering that homicide detectives generally start their work after the crime is already done. FILE - This Aug. 9, 2020, still image taken from officer video provided by the Albuquerque Police Department shows the arrest of Muhammad Syed. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved. And the triple-digit count sets a never-before-seen record. An Albuquerque man, Richard Saravia, has pled guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal property damage following a 2021 road rage incident. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE RELEASE BODY CAM VIDEO OF MAN SUSPECTED OF MURDERING MUSLIM MEN BEING ARRESTED, And before then, 41-year-old Aftab Hussein was fatally wounded on July 26, 2022. Some of those are drug deals gone wrong. Tuesday marked four days since police received word of their most recent murder. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Now, the APD is about 200 officers short of being fully staffed, he adds. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. Naeem Hussain, a Muslim man from Pakistan, was discovered fatally woundedin the area of Truman Street and Grand Avenue just before midnight on Friday, police said. Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. But the deputy commander speculated that there are many factors possibly contributing: A larger number of guns on the street, lingering effects of the pandemic, and the ease of finding victims on social media, among others. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. director wont appear in Santa Fe for, Hobbs woman sentenced for stealing car with kids, New Mexico man accused of sex crime against student, Elderly man who killed sister takes plea deal, Data shows shootings, other reports at Adam Food, ABQ man arrested after a fight broke out at Main, FBI finds guns in felons Albuquerque home, Suspect charged in murder of 15-yr-old Gallup boy, ABQ man takes plea deal for road rage incident, More from KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos, Safety improvements proposed for Nob Hill corridor, NM businesses are feeling impact of Pion shortage, CDC: Baby death linked to contaminated breast pump, Whats happening around New Mexico Mar. As a result, violent crime including Albuquerques homicides are the result of what Huffmyer calls a mishmash of complex factors. Authorities had said the student who shot his classmate brought his fathers gun to school. We know this from exit interviews of officers who have retired or left departments, he says. Still, Medina is hopeful. The most recent survey data from 66 police departments across the US show that the majority of those departments have reported an increase in the number of homicides from January to October 2021 compared to the same time frame in 2020. Albuquerque police say the first homicide happened on Nov. 7, 2021. There is one thing that certainly stands in the way of reducing Albuquerques violent crime, says Liz Thomson: In regards to reducing violent crime, investigating and solving violent crime, the blame game is the worst thing, she says. But, there are mixed feelings on the effectiveness of simply increasing police presence in troubled areas. But Gallegos says that while public distrust of APD certainly exists, it isnt a big hinderance to APDs ability to investigate violent crime. So far this year, there has been an uptick in the number of homicides at motels and hotels. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File), Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. Across the country, many police departments are reporting an increase in homicides. Huffmyer also suggests that the dark cloud of administrative pressure and the eminent threat of public persecution can decrease law enforcement effectiveness. KRQE News 13 reported that 2022 federal fentanyl busts around Albuquerque have been among the largest ever. For years, Albuquerque has had a problem with unsightly property, as reported by KRQE special assignment reporter Gabrielle Burkhart in 2017. This undated file photo released by the City of Espaola shows Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, a planning and land use director who was killed in Albuquerque, N.M., on Aug. 1, 2022. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). (U.S. District Court/AP). Albuquerque Police: Man shoots self, unintentionally kills woman Police say a man shot himself and unintentionally killed a woman when the bullet passed through his And the problem extends far beyond Central. Rather, homicides were often simply disputes that spun out of control. (Robert Browman/The Albuquerque Journal via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. While the killings were initially believed to be the work of a serial killer, the involvement of a sex 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) New Mexico is no stranger to violent crime, but so far this years homicide count is outpacing the average of the last two years by about 75%. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. At the end of December 2022, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) published a list of 120 homicides that had occurred throughout the year. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Huffmyer explains that because crime data from different jurisdictions and different times fall under different reporting standards, the data that does exist comes from a flawed collection method. On top of that, the sociology of crime is complex, to put it lightly. Albuquerque murders: Afghan refugee indicted on third murder count in Muslim murders Muhammad Syed, a 51-year-old Afghan refugee who has lived in What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? ' she says.