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). But, there are mixed feelings on the effectiveness of simply increasing police presence in troubled areas. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. It changed the Hargrove family forever and devastated hundreds of children, parents, school faculty and the community.. 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. Both men were killed near Central Avenue in southeast Albuquerque, police said. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. or redistributed. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Market data provided by Factset. As of April 18, 2021, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) recorded 35 homicides across the city. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The bill narrowly passed the House and is poised to be considered by the full Senate. As for why there were more homicides in 2022, Hartsock explained that theres no single, clear answer. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Legal Statement. Both were also Muslim and from Pakistan. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Hartsock attributed a higher solve rate to good detective work and communication among APD. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Albuquerque police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. 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.". Theyre up to 16 detectives and two sergeants, a number Liz Thomson says is a reasonable amount to handle Albuquerques homicide caseload. Nicholas Huffmyer from the sheriffs office says that overwhelming police presence does work. Early in the year, Albuquerque 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! This list will be updated as new information becomes available. 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. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. 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. 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. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). The record was broken that year and again in 2022. 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. Homicide data from APD; map data from UNM RGIS/US Census, Its just a part of Albuquerque that looks like theres no oversight there. All Rights Reserved. ' she says. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. The APDs crime data system is dynamic and additional information may be added or refined after the data are sent to the FBI. According to the criminal complaint, Syed "waited behind a bush, north of the driveway where Aftab Hussein would park his vehicle. And a lot of the homicides have occurred in hotels and motels, he says. 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). 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. 3 Mar. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. A ShotSpotter activation showed 13 gunshots were fired. 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. Albuquerque police and the FBI are investigating three recent murders of Muslim men for possible ties to the same offender, according to Albuquerque police. It was horrific, Thomson recalls. The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. Albuquerque Homicides: Why are there so many? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Thats why we are pushing forward so fiercely. Across the country, many police departments are reporting an increase in homicides. 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. A grand jury indicted him Friday on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence. or redistributed. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Albuquerques homicide count rose by about 30% in that time. Market data provided by Factset. And in Albuquerque, it has always been a huge obstacle.. The FBI is assisting in the murder investigations. Theres a lot of evidence out there that the environment and what it says has a lot to do with crime, she says. 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%. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. (U.S. District Court/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. 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 Court documents state that two guns purchased by Syed and his father at an Albuquerque gun store in July had been partially painted white. And before then, 41-year-old Aftab Hussein was fatally wounded on July 26, 2022. Shaheen Syed, 21, pictured in a 2021 Florida drivers license photo included in court documents. 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. Tuesday marked four days since police received word of their most recent murder. 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. For example, in 2017, during her time as a sergeant, Thomson saw one of the most heinous murders: the murder of John Soyka. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). NIBRS is the most current national framework for reporting crime and replaces the FBIs Summary Reporting System (SRS). Albuquerque is just known for abandoned cars, abandoned property.. Shaheen Syed, left, possibly helped his father, Muhammad Syed, right, surveillance one of his alleged victims. Homicide List as of 17 May 2021. or redistributed. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. As a result, violent crime including Albuquerques homicides are the result of what Huffmyer calls a mishmash of complex factors. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. All of their bodies were found ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TEXAS TO FIND NEW HOME, REFERENCED 'SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS': COPS. 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. By this time last year, there were only 18. 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. By this time last year, there were only 18. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. FILE - This Aug. 9, 2020, still image taken from officer video provided by the Albuquerque Police Department shows the arrest of Muhammad Syed. In the past, she says, it was easy to point the finger at political scapegoats or at gang violence. Adding to the homicide team wont prevent homicides, APDs Gilbert Gallegos says. Homicides have tended to cluster around certain parts of town, such as the International District. In 2018, the Albuquerque Police Department began reporting crime statistics using the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Incident-Based Reporting , 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.