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. All but three of the 2021 killings are being investigated by Albuquerque police, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Four men in total all Muslims from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. It changed the Hargrove family forever and devastated hundreds of children, parents, school faculty and the community.. Albuquerque Homicides: Why are there so many? The Syed family home is a few minutes drive from both the Islamic Center and Lutheran Family Services. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, a 27-year-old local city planner, was shot and killed on Aug. 1. 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Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 443.0 KB, For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. And the triple-digit count sets a never-before-seen record. It looks like nobody cares, Thomson says. While the killings were initially believed to be the work of a serial killer, the involvement of a sex By August, Albuquerque had already equaled its record for homicides with 81, set in 2019. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Young people are getting together usually through social media to sell a small amount of drugs or guns, Gallegos says, and they meet up somewhere and the one party robs the other party and then it turns into a shooting or homicide. Not all of Albuquerques homicides start this way, but recently APD has seen more of these kinds of homicides, Gallegos says. FILE - This Aug. 9, 2020, still image taken from officer video provided by the Albuquerque Police Department shows the arrest of Muhammad Syed. All rights reserved. Ahmadi was from Afghanistan, police said. The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. But so far, 2021 homicides have been occurring further east. WebOn Tuesday, Albuquerque police announced that they had arrested a suspect in the recent murders of three South Asian Muslim men, which may be connected to another killing last year. 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. Interactive Slider: New Mexicos homicide rate (estimated from incomplete data) has historically outpaced both neighboring states and the national homicide rate per capita. 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. The FBI is assisting in the murder investigations. 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. On Aug. 1, the third victim, local city planner Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, was gunned down, police said. 3 Mar. The average police department saw a 7% rise in homicides, the data shows. Adding to the homicide team wont prevent homicides, APDs Gilbert Gallegos says. And a lot of the homicides have occurred in hotels and motels, he says. Both the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and APD say there continues to be challenges to preventing and solving violent crimes. 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. Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. Yet one of the most basic crime prevention strategies is to make a place look clean, inviting, and cared for, she says. Early in the year, 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. It isnt violent for you to just sit and smoke weed, but do you have any idea how that got here? he asks. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Police said the victim 13-year-old Bennie Hargrove was trying to protect another boy who was being bullied. 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. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) The man who was murdered outside of a Nob Hill home over the weekend has been identified. Its similar populations, its similar locations in Albuquerque every year, he says. And yes, they can be violent, she explains, yet during her time as sergeant, not one single year was gang-related homicide ever a major [crime] category, she says. Albuquerque has had more than one homicide over beer pong, she says to illustrate her point. However, with a record homicide rate in 2021 (88 according to the City of Albuquerque, as of October 1), the four year-average under Mayor Tim Keller is on track to surpass the previous administrations homicide rate by 65%. 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. Keller has acknowledged the challenges for New Mexicos largest city. MURDERS IN ALBUQUERQUE MUSLIM COMMUNITY: NEW MEXICO OFFICIALS OFFERING $20K REWARD FOR INFO LEADING TO KILLER, Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. As for why there were more homicides in 2022, Hartsock explained that theres no single, clear answer. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Anderson also included a photo of a Florida drivers license issued to Shaheen Syed in 2021, contradicting prosecutors' claims that he misrepresented himself as a Florida resident while making a purchase at an Albuquerque gun store. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. That put Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. People see a camera and they feel better, but cameras dont necessarily prevent crime, she says. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) There were more than 100 homicides in Albuquerque this year. 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. 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. 2021 was a record-breaking year for homicides in Albuquerque with 114, the first homicide happened on Jan. 8 and the last Dec. 31. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Data from CABQ/APD. Yet, I can pretty honestly say that I believe Chase Smotherman would have become violent if they had stolen his garden tools.. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. The first incident was reported on Nov. 7, 2021, when 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi was discovered shot and killed in the rear parking lot of a halal caf he owned with his brother on San Mateo Boulevard, according to city officials and local affiliate KRQE-TV. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Over the past 35 years, Albuquerques yearly homicide count has averaged about 45 homicides per year, KRQE reported. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. Crime Statistics Our Department Officer Wellness Internal Affairs Behavioral Sciences Section Sexual Assault Evidence Kit At the end of December 2022, the This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Some of those are drug deals gone wrong. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Shaheen Syed, 21, pictured in a 2021 Florida drivers license photo included in court documents. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. But it is important to note that the numbers in this report differ slightly from the numbers published in the FBI reports. Huffmyer also suggests that the dark cloud of administrative pressure and the eminent threat of public persecution can decrease law enforcement effectiveness. Albuquerque recorded 76 murders in 2020, four fewer than in 2019. Rather, homicides were often simply disputes that spun out of control. KRQE News 13 reported that 2022 federal fentanyl busts around Albuquerque have been among the largest ever. 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. Before those three shootings, 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi was discovered shot and killed in the rear parking lot of a halal caf he owned with his brother in November 2021. But Albuquerques increase is above average according to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association. Squabbles over drugs and not necessarily large amounts of drugs have often led to homicides in the past. KRQE News 13 previously reported that the citys homicide rate was outpacing previous years and that the crimes tend to happen in certain parts of the city. ", 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. In 2019, there were only 22 homicides by April 18. , 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. Syed's son, 21-year-old Shaheen Syed, is also behind bars for allegedly providing a false address when he purchased a gun in June 2021. All Rights Reserved. Its not clear why New Mexico is particularly prone to violence. SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN NEW MEXICO KILLINGS OF MUSLIM MEN POSSIBLY ASSISTED MURDER PLOT: FEDS, Shaheen Syed, left, possibly helped his father, Muhammad Syed, right, surveillance one of his alleged victims. 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. The record was broken that year and again in 2022. The previous homicide record of 80 was set just three years earlier, during Mayor Tim Kellers first term. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). Law enforcement officials in New Mexico identified 51-year-old Muhammad Syed as the primary suspect in a string of killings of Muslim men in Albuquerque over The Albuquerque Police Department released body camera video of officers arresting the man who is being charged with the murder of two Muslims and suspected of killing two other Muslims. 3 Mar. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. And even data on violent crimes doesnt paint the full picture. 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. SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. But, Nicholas Huffmyer, a captain at the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, says that drugs and violence are inevitably linked. View Albuquerque crime mapping information. 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.

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