Central Avenue, for example, is just infamous for being sort of the seedier part of Albuquerque. And sure enough, in recent years homicides have clustered near Central especially between EXPO New Mexico and Eubank. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. 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, APD remains tight-lipped on weekend homicide in Nob Hill, found in the street with two gunshot wounds near Girard and Garfield on Sunday, housesitting when someone confronted him in the driveway, Rio Bravo Park cleanup will take longer than expected, Gun safety bill passes Senate, faces one more hurdle, Restaurants still struggling to recover from COVID, Roswell PD: Woman steals, drives wrong-way to get, State basketball tournament: Girls first round recap, BCSO: Kids were living in dirty home containing drugs, Local casino hosts National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show, UNM police arrest man for giving false ID, fleeing, More from KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos, Man connected to political shootings to stay behind, 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. 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. Although the FBI updates its data bases regularly it does not update published reports. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TEXAS TO FIND NEW HOME, REFERENCED 'SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS': COPS. City officials also have pointed to a lack of consequences for repeat offenders as one of the reasons Albuquerque continues to struggle with crime. A motive has not been offered by prosecutors, but police said an "interpersonal conflict" may have led to the shootings. Lawmakers are once again considering a similar measure that would criminalize negligent gun storage in cases where a child brandishes the weapon or uses it to hurt someone. At the end of December 2022, the Both men were killed The lie that people are told is that drug crimes are nonviolent, Huffmyer says. The FBI is assisting in the murder investigations. Squabbles over drugs and not necessarily large amounts of drugs have often led to homicides in the past. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. Four men in total all Muslims from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. Albuquerques geographic location, with a north-south-running freeway and ease of access to the border makes this a thoroughfare and hub for a variety of interstate criminal activity, he says. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! FILE - This Aug. 9, 2020, still image taken from officer video provided by the Albuquerque Police Department shows the arrest of Muhammad Syed. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. Albuquerques homicide count rose by about 30% in that time. This year began with more homicides than in 2020 and 2019. 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. In their motion, prosecutors pointed to cellphone records that they say show Syed possibly helped his father track Naeem Hussain, a 25-year-old man from Pakistan who was fatally shot on Aug. 5 in the parking lot of a refugee resettlement agency in southeast Albuquerque. 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. Without fail, they all said, weve been hamstrung; weve been effectively neutered from being able to do our job.'. The boy will remain in state custody until hes 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law. Albuquerque murders: Muslim community to see increased police SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, , 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. Over the last few years, an influx of police-related scandals and Department of Justice scrutiny has led to the shutdown of APD programs and the shrinkage of APDs staff, Gallegos says. Albuquerque KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. The Albuquerque Police Department will be increasing its "police presence near mosques and Muslim affiliate schools," Keller wrote on Twitter. Legal Statement. Albuquerque This change is important because NIBRS provides more comprehensive and detailed information about crimes against person, crimes against property and crimes against society occurring in law enforcement jurisdictions across the country. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Gruesome details released in quadruple murder case at ABQ The bill narrowly passed the House and is poised to be considered by the full Senate. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 443.0 KB, For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. 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. As for why there were more homicides in 2022, Hartsock explained that theres no single, clear answer. So ultimately, there are no easy answers to explain why New Mexico is such a violent place. Tuesday marked four days since police received word of their most recent murder. The boy will remain in state custody until hes 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law. 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. It isnt violent for you to just sit and smoke weed, but do you have any idea how that got here? he asks. In 2018, the Albuquerque Police Department began reporting crime statistics using the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Incident-Based Reporting Police, however, are still being tight-lipped about any possible suspects. Just having a police car patrolling in a neighborhood on a regular basis acts as a deterrent, he says. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. (Robert Browman/The Albuquerque Journal via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 2021 Interactive Slider: Over the last few years, homicides (orange markers) have been focused around downtown Albuquerque and Central Ave. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Other U.S. cities also saw increases in homicide numbers over the past year. The contents of any site or link not maintained by the City does not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of the City of Albuquerque, its officials, agents or employees. In the most recent murder, 25-year-old Naeem Hussain was shot and killed in the parking lot of Lutheran Family Services, a resettlement agency. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. The most recent murder took place on Friday evening, when Naeem Hussain, from Pakistan, was discovered fatally woundedin the area of Truman Street and Grand Avenue. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. And the problem extends far beyond Central. And even data on violent crimes doesnt paint the full picture. FILE - This Aug. 9, 2020, still image taken from officer video provided by the Albuquerque Police Department shows the arrest of Muhammad Syed. 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, March 2, 2023. 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 previously reported that the citys homicide rate, Rio Bravo Park cleanup will take longer than expected, Gun safety bill passes Senate, faces one more hurdle, Restaurants still struggling to recover from COVID, Roswell PD: Woman steals, drives wrong-way to get, State basketball tournament: Girls first round recap, BCSO: Kids were living in dirty home containing drugs, Local casino hosts National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show, UNM police arrest man for giving false ID, fleeing, More from KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos, Man connected to political shootings to stay behind, 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. Albuquerque's homicide rate 2021: City sets new record - KRQE This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. On Aug. 1, the third victim, local city planner Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, was gunned down in the area of Cornell Drive Southeast and Garfield Avenue Southeast, police said. On Aug. 1, the third victim, local city planner Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, was gunned down, police said. Data from FBI UCR. Prosecutors also presented prior police reports of Shaheen Syed allegedly beating his father and sister and an unrelated incident in which he and his brother were allegedly involved in a shooting outside a Walmart. FILE - Family members wait to pick up students after a fatal shooting at Washington Middle School in Albuquerque, N.M., on Aug. 13, 2021. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. The Associated Press does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. Fox News' Danielle Wallace and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Now, the APD is about 200 officers short of being fully staffed, he adds. 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. Market data provided by Factset. Investigators said they think those three murders happened in Grants, and Lannon is accused of killing a fourth man in Albuquerque. A grand jury indicted him Friday on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence. Huffmyer goes even further and points to the implementation of Department of Justice reforms including use of force-policy reforms, community oversight, and additional training requirements as a driver of violent crime in Albuquerque. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. 2022 breaks Albuquerque's homicide record set in 2021 Some of those are drug deals gone wrong. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. 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%. By JEFFREY COLLINS and JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press. As a result, violent crime including Albuquerques homicides are the result of what Huffmyer calls a mishmash of complex factors. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Paul.Best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest. Legal Statement. Homicides have tended to cluster around certain parts of town, such as the International District. That put Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent cities with populations over 100,000 people. WebThe West Mesa Murders are the killings of eleven women whose remains were found buried in 2009 in the desert on the West Mesa of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.Several suspects have been named, but none were arrested or charged. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Syeds attorney argued that prosecutors gave no indication of the size of the area that his phone was in relative to the shooting. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The rise in fentanyl deals may also contribute, according to Hartsock. Homicide List as of 17 May 2021. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Authorities have yet to confirm that information. Four Muslim men murdered in New Mexico, FBI called in for support. Crime Albuquerque Journal And in Albuquerque, it has always been a huge obstacle.. Legal Statement. 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 While homicides cluster along Central Avenue, this year brought violent crime to many different neighborhoods. This was a terrible tragedy for everyone involved, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement Thursday. , One person dead, another hospitalized in SE ABQ shooting, Dancing in the Cave at the University of New Mexico, Whats happening around New Mexico Feb. 24 Mar. Medina, the Albuquerque police chief, said he believes the pandemic also is to blame for nationwide spikes in homicides, suicides, drug overdoses and traffic crashes. Albuquerque is just known for abandoned cars, abandoned property.. Shaheen Syed, 21, appeared in U.S. district court in Albuquerque on Monday, with the judge granting a motion by federal prosecutors to keep him behind bars pending the ongoing investigation into the deaths of four Muslim victims dating back to November 2021. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. However, with a record homicide rate in 2021 (88 according to the City of Albuquerque , Bregman said he hoped the plea would bring some closure to the family, who was in court Thursday. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. Aftab Hussein, 41, was shot and killed on July 26 after parking his car near his home. Court documents state that two guns purchased by Syed and his father at an Albuquerque gun store in July had been partially painted white. Liz Thomson points out that there does appear to be similar connections among Albuquerques homicides. So far this year, there has been an uptick in the number of homicides at motels and hotels. The teen was initially charged with an open count of murder and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises. NIBRS is the most current national framework for reporting crime and replaces the FBIs Summary Reporting System (SRS). (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). An Afghan refugee who was already facing two murder charges for the recent slayings of two Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was indicted on a third count Friday for allegedly killing another man who had just attended funeral services for the other two victims on Aug. 5. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The middle school shooting spurred legislation that ended up stalling during last years session. Syed, the main suspect in the slaying of four Muslim men in Albuquerque has committed regular acts of violence in the six years since he fled war-ravaged Afghanistan and resettled in the United States, according to police documents and court records. His father, 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, has so far been charged with murder for two of the slayings the deaths of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain and Aftab Hussein. View the sitemap for the City of Albuquerque website. Estimates from the Federal Bureau of Investigation show that New Mexicos violent crime and homicide rates have been above the national average for several years now. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Police believe three recent murders and a murder that happened on Nov. 7, 2021, could be potentially connected. Albuquerque murders: Son of New Mexico suspect to remain Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. 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. Albuquerque Murders 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. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Some worked to bring attention to gun violence through a national memorial effort in the fall. Story tips can be sent to stephanie.pagones@fox.com and on Twitter: @steph_pagones. Albuquerque police and the FBI are investigating three recent murders of Muslim men for possible ties to the same offender, according to Albuquerque police. (U.S. District Court/AP). The City assumes no responsibility for the content of the material contained at that site or for the accuracy of any information that is found there. Yet one of the most basic crime prevention strategies is to make a place look clean, inviting, and cared for, she says. or redistributed. In the first three quarters of 2021, Albuquerque had 111 violent crimes per 10,000 people, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Paul Best is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 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 The APDs crime data system is dynamic and additional information may be added or refined after the data are sent to the FBI. Albuquerque, however, has seen a bigger rise in homicides than many similarly-sized cities, according to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, a group that represents police executives in large cities across the US. But, its worth remembering that homicide detectives generally start their work after the crime is already done. The guns were seized during a search of the family's home; and testing determined bullet casings found at the July 25 and Aug. 1 shootings matched the rifle that belonged to Muhammad Syed. After Hussain was fatally shot, Shaheen Syeds phone moved to an area closer to the crime scene, according to the motion. 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. Jury convicts Alex Murdaugh on 2021 murders of his wife, son The motivation for that crime boils down to stolen marijuana and money. But things like police cameras and bringing police cars to the area, those reduce fear and help catch perpetrators. Theres a lot of evidence out there that the environment and what it says has a lot to do with crime, she says. This list will be updated as new information becomes available. All of their bodies were found ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. or redistributed. Albuquerque Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. Family members told judge that Bennie was missed and that it hurt even more that another child was the one who committed the crime. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. , VIDEO: Giant I-40 light poles sway in strong ABQ, Taxidermy birds used to make drones at New Mexico, PHOTOS: Storm leaves parts of state covered in snow, PHOTOS: Winter storm moves through NM leaving snow, PHOTOS: Storm causes snowy, icy roads across New, Map: New Mexico Veterans Monuments and Memorials, 13 Broadcast Pl SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87104, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Rather, homicides were often simply disputes that spun out of control. For example, in 2017, during her time as a sergeant, Thomson saw one of the most heinous murders: the murder of John Soyka. Albuquerque, New Mexico, shatters homicide record by 46% 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. According to the criminal complaint, Syed "waited behind a bush, north of the driveway where Aftab Hussein would park his vehicle. (U.S. District Court), A reporter asked at a press conference earlier this month if Syed, a Sunni Muslim, could have been driven by anger that his daughter married a Shiite Muslim. 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. Homicides are generally concentrated in communities that have chronically high levels of firearm violence, disparities, racial and ethnic disparities, segregation, underemployment, [and] poverty, says Christopher Lyons, a professor of sociology at the University of New Mexico. Legal Statement. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to a suspect, and urged anyone with information related to the killings to call Crime Stoppers at (505) 843-STOP (7867) orsubmit tips here. All rights reserved. Court documents filed in federal court provided more details about Naeem Hussain's killing, saying it appeared he had been followed to Lutheran Family Services, the resettlement agency, following funeral services for two of the other shooting victims. ABQ Homicides Up ", 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. Police in New Mexico are stepping up security at Albuquerque-area mosques and Muslim community schools as investigators hunt for the suspect who gunned down four Muslim men over the past nine months. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday.