The lie that people are told is that drug crimes are nonviolent, Huffmyer says. The average police department saw a 7% rise in homicides, the data shows. There is no doubt that we face a tough road ahead. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of the entire states yearly homicide count. The son of a New Mexico man suspected of gunning down four Muslim men over the course of several months will remain in custody pending trial for allegedly using a bogus address to buy a gun last year. Homicide List as of 17 May 2021. The Associated Press does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. Police Chief Harold Medina has repeatedly said changes in the judicial system are needed. 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%. Albuquerque Police Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said at the time that "the motives are still being explored fully to understand what they are.". 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 most effective thing about policing is engagement with the community going to neighborhood meetings, interacting with kids, Thomson says. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Crime Statistics Our Department Officer Wellness Internal Affairs Behavioral Sciences Section Sexual Assault Evidence Kit This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN This list will be updated as new information becomes available. Both men were killed The official website for the City of Albuquerque. The motivation for that crime boils down to stolen marijuana and money. And the problem extends far beyond Central. In December, the city named 14 people to its gun violence prevention and intervention task force to come up with recommendations over the next 12 months. Syeds attorney argued that prosecutors gave no indication of the size of the area that his phone was in relative to the shooting. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE, FBI INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN FOUR MURDERED MUSLIM MEN. Albuquerque Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Cecily Barker holds a flyer with photos of a car wanted in connection with Muslim men murdered as Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham looks on in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. 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%. Just days after the most recent murder of a Muslim man rocked a community already on edge, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said the City is extending its police efforts beyond the investigation into the slayings and person or people behind them. 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. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. 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. 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. Both were also Muslim and from Pakistan. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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 At the time, the city was on pace to shatter its homicide record and top officials described the violence as a scourge. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File), Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. Four men in total all Muslims from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. 443.0 KB, For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. but officials have called him the "most likely" suspect in the murders of Naeem Hussain and 62-year-old Muhammad Zahir. But this year also brought homicides at hotels near Los Altos neighborhood near Lomas and Wyoming, a few on the West Side, and a couple of homicides near the Heights. View the sitemap for the City of Albuquerque website. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) New Mexicos largest city recorded 117 killings in 2021, shattering its previous homicide record by 46%. Legal Statement. Many police departments saw an increase in homicides this year. Additionally, APD has added new detectives to the homicide unit. 2023 The City of Albuquerque. Legal Statement. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Jurors in June convicted Jeremiah Lopez, 42, of first-degree murder and criminal sexual penetration for strangling and raping 27-year-old Krishauna Perez March , 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. The record was broken that year and again in 2022. The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office is investigating another 11 homicides in the areas surrounding the city. Albuquerque police have detained and charged a man they say is the primary suspect in the killings of four Muslim men, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina tweeted Tuesday. So one could argue that that was a drug-related crime, Thomson says. All rights reserved. Hartsock also notes that the department instituted regular check-ins on open murder cases to help come up with new ideas into investigations. Shots were fired at his SUV around 4 p.m., striking him in the head and the arm. You start to look deeper and you realize: Is it really the drugs? It changed the Hargrove family forever and devastated hundreds of children, parents, school faculty and the community.. Since 2016, between six and eight homicides per 100,000 people, each year are estimated to have occurred in New Mexico, according to the FBI data. Its similar populations, its similar locations in Albuquerque every year, he says. By this time last year, there were only 18. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. For years, Albuquerque has had a problem with unsightly property, as reported by KRQE special assignment reporter Gabrielle Burkhart in 2017. Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the Across the country, many police departments are reporting an increase in homicides. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via 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, March 2, 2023. The official website for the City of Albuquerque. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This year, Albuquerque police have investigated more homicides than any time in the last 35 years. 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. ' she says. The FBI is assisting in the murder investigations. The four menall Muslimand from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. He was originally arrested on Aug. 9. Its not just in spite of our challenges, but because of them, he said after being sworn in Saturday. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. We know this from exit interviews of officers who have retired or left departments, he says. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Ahmadi was from Afghanistan, police said. 3 Mar. Legal Statement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, That puts Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent cities with populations of over 100,000 people. , 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. Rather, homicides were often simply disputes that spun out of control. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. Interactive Slider: Over the last few years, homicides (orange markers) have been focused around downtown Albuquerque and Central Ave. Over the last 35 years, Albuquerques yearly homicide count has averaged about 45 homicides per year. Without fail, they all said, weve been hamstrung; weve been effectively neutered from being able to do our job.'. But in the last few years, that average rose, reaching a new high this year, according to data from the FBI. But, its worth remembering that homicide detectives generally start their work after the crime is already done. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). "The United States motion boils down to an effort to detain defendant for a crime with which he has not even been charged," Anderson argued, referring to the slayings of the Muslim men. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. Other U.S. cities also saw increases in homicide numbers over the past year. 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. The boy will remain in state custody until hes 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law. Data from FBI UCR. So ultimately, there are no easy answers to explain why New Mexico is such a violent place. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. According to the Albuquerque Journal, 27-year-old Muhammed Afzaal Hussain was shot and killed on Aug. 1, while 41-year-old Aftab Hussein was killed on July 26. Casings found at one of the crime scenes also matched a handgun found in the elder Syed's vehicle when he was taken into custody, according to a criminal complaint. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). Liz Thomson, a retired APD homicide sergeant says the department saw a fair number of people shooting each other over relatively small amounts of drugs. 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 homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. On Sunday,the Albuquerque Police Department released images of a vehicle that they believe to have been used for transport in the four murders. In recent years, the data showed that inane, petty disputes increasingly sparked killings. The teen was initially charged with an open count of murder and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. Legal Statement. Four men all from South Asia and all of whom practice the Muslim faith have been ambushed, shot and killed since November 2021, police have said. But Albuquerques increase is above average according to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association. 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. Data from FBI UCR Program. That includes Chicago, which marked one of its most violent years on record. Market data provided by Factset. Both the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and APD say there continues to be challenges to preventing and solving violent crimes. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Muhammad Syed, a 51-year-old man who has lived in Albuquerque for about five years, is also suspected in a fourth murder that occurred in November 2021. Just having a police car patrolling in a neighborhood on a regular basis acts as a deterrent, he says. Investigators said they think those three murders happened in Grants, and Lannon is accused of killing a fourth man in Albuquerque. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Albuquerque police say the first homicide happened on Nov. 7, 2021. Nicholas Huffmyer from the sheriffs office says that overwhelming police presence does work. 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. 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. By this time last year, there were only 18. 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. 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. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. 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. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Paul.Best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest. But things like police cameras and bringing police cars to the area, those reduce fear and help catch perpetrators. Aftab Hussein, 41, was shot and killed on July 26 after parking his car near his home. All but three of the 2021 killings are being investigated by Albuquerque police, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Albuquerque Homicides: Why are there so many? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Albuquerque Police Department will be increasing its "police presence near mosques and Muslim affiliate schools," Keller wrote on Twitter. The City will also be working with the police departments serving the University of New Mexico and the Albuquerque Public School system, working to ensure students are safely returning to their respective campuses, Keller wrote. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Thats why we are pushing forward so fiercely. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). 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. Theyre up to 16 detectives and two sergeants, a number Liz Thomson says is a reasonable amount to handle Albuquerques homicide caseload. Legal Statement. 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. 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. People see a camera and they feel better, but cameras dont necessarily prevent crime, she says.