or redistributed. He was originally arrested on Aug. 9. Both the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and APD say there continues to be challenges to preventing and solving violent crimes. The Associated Press does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. Theres a lot of evidence out there that the environment and what it says has a lot to do with crime, 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. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. 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. We know this from exit interviews of officers who have retired or left departments, he says. Some worked to bring attention to gun violence through a national memorial effort in the fall. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. 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. In the first three quarters of 2021, Albuquerque had 111 violent crimes per 10,000 people, according to FBI data. 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. 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. This year began with more homicides than in 2020 and 2019. And even data on violent crimes doesnt paint the full picture. The data in citywide crime statistics report is based on the official data that APD sends to the FBI. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, But Gallegos says that while public distrust of APD certainly exists, it isnt a big hinderance to APDs ability to investigate violent crime. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Paul.Best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest. 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. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). However, with a record homicide rate in 2021 (88 according to the City of Albuquerque , Hartsock also pointed out that APD has been working on increasing staffing and getting better technology along with focusing on detective training. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. Yet one of the most basic crime prevention strategies is to make a place look clean, inviting, and cared for, she says. 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. ", 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. 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. After Hussain was fatally shot, Shaheen Syeds phone moved to an area closer to the crime scene, according to the motion. And a lot of the homicides have occurred in hotels and motels, he says. Without fail, they all said, weve been hamstrung; weve been effectively neutered from being able to do our job.'. FILE - This Aug. 9, 2020, still image taken from officer video provided by the Albuquerque Police Department shows the arrest of Muhammad Syed. The previous homicide record of 80 was set just three years earlier, during Mayor Tim Kellers first term. Data from FBI UCR. The four men all Muslim and from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. Hartsock also notes that the department instituted regular check-ins on open murder cases to help come up with new ideas into investigations. All of their bodies were found 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 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. Ahmadi was from Afghanistan, police said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Tuesday marked four days since police received word of their most recent murder. Albuquerque Homicides: Why are there so many? 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). 3 Mar. 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. 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. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). (City of Espaola via AP, File). This was a terrible tragedy for everyone involved, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement Thursday. Nicholas Huffmyer from the sheriffs office says that overwhelming police presence does work. Early in the year, Albuquerque Albuquerque Police identify man killed outside Nob Hill home The most recent murder took place on 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 Across the country, many police departments are reporting an increase in homicides. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). View Albuquerque crime mapping information. 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. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Liz Thomson points out that there does appear to be similar connections among Albuquerques homicides. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) 2022 brought a record number of homicides to Albuquerque. (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. 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. All rights reserved. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. He had just attended the funerals for the two other recent victims. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, a 27-year-old local city planner, was shot and killed on Aug. 1. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. As a result, violent crime including Albuquerques homicides are the result of what Huffmyer calls a mishmash of complex factors. There is no doubt that we face a tough road ahead. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. As of April 18, 2021, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) recorded 35 homicides across the city. But so far, 2021 homicides have been occurring further east. Market data provided by Factset. The car in question, a four-door dark gray or silver-colored Volkswagen sedan, bears tinted windows and is possibly a Jetta. Hartsock attributed a higher solve rate to good detective work and communication among APD. The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office is investigating another 11 homicides in the areas surrounding the city. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? 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 All but three of the 2021 killings are being investigated by Albuquerque police, the Albuquerque Journal reported. Syed is accused of waiting "behind a bush" for Hussein to park his car before ambushing him, according to court documents. 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. Both were also Muslim and from Pakistan. The August attack left New Mexicos largest school district reeling and marked the second shooting in Albuquerque in less than 24 hours. The lie that people are told is that drug crimes are nonviolent, Huffmyer says. 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. (Credit: Albuquerque Police Department). (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.". All rights reserved. With the help of an interpreter, he "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," thecriminal complaint alleges. Legal Statement. Data from APD. 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 rise in fentanyl deals may also contribute, according to Hartsock. A spokesperson for the Islamic Center of New Mexico did not respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). All Rights Reserved. Albuquerque police say the first homicide happened on Nov. 7, 2021. 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. That count exceeds the 2021 record of 110 homicides counted by APD. The Albuquerque Police Department will be increasing its "police presence near mosques and Muslim affiliate schools," Keller wrote on Twitter. Police, however, are still being tight-lipped about any possible suspects. Information about Albuquerque crime statistics: https://www.cabq.gov/police/crime-statistics, 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. 2021 was a record-breaking year for homicides in Albuquerque with 114, the first homicide happened on Jan. 8 and the last Dec. 31. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. Data from FBI UCR Program. Albuquerque Community Connect Camera Registry and Integration. 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. 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. Legal Statement. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Authorities had said the student who shot his classmate brought his fathers gun to school. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. Why is violent crime going up in Albuquerque? It isnt violent for you to just sit and smoke weed, but do you have any idea how that got here? he asks. Thats why we are pushing forward so fiercely. But things like police cameras and bringing police cars to the area, those reduce fear and help catch perpetrators. Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the And the problem extends far beyond Central. Market data provided by Factset. Yet, I can pretty honestly say that I believe Chase Smotherman would have become violent if they had stolen his garden tools.. Legal Statement. 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. , 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. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Data from CABQ/APD. 443.0 KB, For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. Crime Statistics Our Department Officer Wellness Internal Affairs Behavioral Sciences Section Sexual Assault Evidence Kit View the sitemap for the City of Albuquerque website. By this time last year, there were only 18. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He said public behavior has changed dramatically in the last two years. In 2018, the Albuquerque Police Department began reporting crime statistics using the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Incident-Based Reporting It changed the Hargrove family forever and devastated hundreds of children, parents, school faculty and the community.. SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN Still, Medina is hopeful. The shooting of 62-year-old Afghan migrant Mohammad Ahmadi on November 7, 2021, in the parking lot of a halal supermarket he ran is the fourth killing that detectives are trying to determine if it is related to the more recent homicides, Albuquerque said. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. 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. Police believe three recent murders and a murder that happened on Nov. 7, 2021, could be potentially connected. 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. KRQE News 13 reported that 2022 federal fentanyl busts around Albuquerque have been among the largest ever. Just having a police car patrolling in a neighborhood on a regular basis acts as a deterrent, he says. "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. The sooner people recognize that there is not one circumstance that is causing this, the better, Huffmyer says. 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. 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. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 2023 The City of Albuquerque. Neighbors say Jurisson was housesitting when someone confronted him in the driveway in what may have been an attempted carjacking. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Theyre up to 16 detectives and two sergeants, a number Liz Thomson says is a reasonable amount to handle Albuquerques homicide caseload. The Syed family home is a few minutes drive from both the Islamic Center and Lutheran Family Services. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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.