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 Police Department via AP, File). or redistributed. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. Adding to the homicide team wont prevent homicides, APDs Gilbert Gallegos says. or redistributed. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. The Associated Press does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. 3 Mar. 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). The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. 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. Fox News's Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Police believe three recent murders and a murder that happened on Nov. 7, 2021, could be potentially connected. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Theyre up to 16 detectives and two sergeants, a number Liz Thomson says is a reasonable amount to handle Albuquerques homicide caseload. Albuquerque is just known for abandoned cars, abandoned property.. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. , 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. The four menall Muslimand from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. Legal Statement. 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. 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. Legal Statement. 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). Neighbors say Jurisson was housesitting when someone confronted him in the driveway in what may have been an attempted carjacking. All of their bodies were found A spokesperson for the Islamic Center of New Mexico did not respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment. In 2019, there were The record was broken that year and again in 2022. We tripled the number of homicide detectives, and we invested $80 million in crime-fighting technology, he said. 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. The motivation for that crime boils down to stolen marijuana and money. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Liz Thomson points out that there does appear to be similar connections among Albuquerques homicides. Interactive Slider: Over the last few years, homicides (orange markers) have been focused around downtown Albuquerque and Central Ave. But so far, 2021 homicides have been occurring further east. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Both men were killed near Central Avenue in southeast Albuquerque, police said. 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. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? 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 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Both men were killed This was a terrible tragedy for everyone involved, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement Thursday. Market data provided by Factset. There is no doubt that we face a tough road ahead. , 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. This is a nationwide trend. Ten minutes after the shooting, the motion states the men shared a second call as their phones remained in the "general area of the murder.". 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. Syed is accused of waiting "behind a bush" for Hussein to park his car before ambushing him, according to court documents. At the end of December 2022, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) published a list of 120 homicides that had occurred throughout the year. Yet, I can pretty honestly say that I believe Chase Smotherman would have become violent if they had stolen his garden tools.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The most recent murder took place on A ShotSpotter activation showed 13 gunshots were fired, following by additional rounds, in the area of 417 Rhode Island Street, police documents show. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of the entire states yearly homicide count. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Additionally, APD has added new detectives to the homicide unit. 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. The average has risen in the past few years, according to federal crime data. But things like police cameras and bringing police cars to the area, those reduce fear and help catch perpetrators. 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. 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. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. , 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. 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. And in Albuquerque, it has always been a huge obstacle.. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. 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. Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). While the killings were initially believed to be the work of a serial killer, the involvement of a sex Hartsock also pointed out that APD has been working on increasing staffing and getting better technology along with focusing on detective training. As a result, violent crime including Albuquerques homicides are the result of what Huffmyer calls a mishmash of complex factors. 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 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. 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. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. View the sitemap for the City of Albuquerque website. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. A motive has not been offered by prosecutors, but police said an "interpersonal conflict" may have led to the shootings. 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. (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. 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. 3 Mar. It changed the Hargrove family forever and devastated hundreds of children, parents, school faculty and the community.. In 2019, there were only 22 homicides by April 18. Aftab Hussein, 41, was shot and killed on July 26 after parking his car near his home. Homicides, of course, contribute to the violent reputation. That put Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent cities with populations over 100,000 people. Albuquerque police and the FBI are investigating three recent murders of Muslim men for possible ties to the same offender, according to Albuquerque police. The APDs crime data system is dynamic and additional information may be added or refined after the data are sent to the FBI. And he points to the drug trade as a source of violence across New Mexico. It looks like nobody cares, Thomson says. Keller has acknowledged the challenges for New Mexicos largest city. A grand jury indicted him Friday on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. 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. 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. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. Albuquerque recorded 76 murders in 2020, four fewer than in 2019. 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 MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. Legal Statement. By August, Albuquerque had already equaled its record for homicides with 81, set in 2019. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All rights reserved. By JEFFREY COLLINS and JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press. 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. Rather, homicides were often simply disputes that spun out of control. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. And the problem extends far beyond Central. The August attack left New Mexicos largest school district reeling and marked the second shooting in Albuquerque in less than 24 hours. As of April 18, 2021, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) recorded 35 homicides across the city. Albuquerque Police identify man killed outside Nob Hill home Market data provided by Factset. It isnt violent for you to just sit and smoke weed, but do you have any idea how that got here? he asks. Police said the victim 13-year-old Bennie Hargrove was trying to protect another boy who was being bullied. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. 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 Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Tuesday marked four days since police received word of their most recent murder. All rights reserved. All but three of the 2021 killings are being investigated by Albuquerque police, the Albuquerque Journal reported. The middle school shooting spurred legislation that ended up stalling during last years session. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). 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. 443.0 KB, For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. Albuquerque Homicides: Why are there so many? His attorney had raised issues of the boys competency early on, saying the teen needed counseling and treatment for mental health issues. Data from FBI UCR Program. 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. Legal Statement. This file photo released Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, by the Albuquerque Police Department shows Muhammad Syed. While homicides cluster along Central Avenue, this year brought violent crime to many different neighborhoods. For example, in 2017, during her time as a sergeant, Thomson saw one of the most heinous murders: the murder of John Soyka. The Syed family home is a few minutes drive from both the Islamic Center and Lutheran Family Services. Paul Best is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. By this time last year, there were only 18. City officials also have pointed to a lack of consequences for repeat offenders as one of the reasons Albuquerque continues to struggle with crime. 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. People see a camera and they feel better, but cameras dont necessarily prevent crime, she says.