Drug-related homicides are definitely up this year quite a bit, says Gilbert Gallegos. But things like police cameras and bringing police cars to the area, those reduce fear and help catch perpetrators. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. "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. 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. The most effective thing about policing is engagement with the community going to neighborhood meetings, interacting with kids, Thomson says. 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 official website for the City of Albuquerque. On Sunday,the Albuquerque Police Department released images of a vehicle that they believe to have been used for transport in the four murders. Police are probing whether he was also involved in the murder. 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. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. This year, Albuquerque police have investigated more homicides than any time in the last 35 years. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Without fail, they all said, weve been hamstrung; weve been effectively neutered from being able to do our job.'. Legal Statement. 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. 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. Data from FBI UCR. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. But there seems to be more to the violence than just illegal drugs. Legal Statement. Market data provided by Factset. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TEXAS TO FIND NEW HOME, REFERENCED 'SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS': COPS. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. 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. Ahmadi was from Afghanistan, police said. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. However, with a record homicide rate in 2021 (88 according to the City of Albuquerque , After Hussain was fatally shot, Shaheen Syeds phone moved to an area closer to the crime scene, according to the motion. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. (Robert Browman/The Albuquerque Journal via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. But, Nicholas Huffmyer, a captain at the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, says that drugs and violence are inevitably linked. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TEXAS TO FIND NEW HOME, REFERENCED 'SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS': COPS. Market data provided by Factset. Adding to the homicide team wont prevent homicides, APDs Gilbert Gallegos says. Albuquerque recorded 76 murders in 2020, four fewer than in 2019. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE, FBI INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN FOUR MURDERED MUSLIM MEN. The lie that people are told is that drug crimes are nonviolent, Huffmyer 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). The four menall Muslimand from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. Its similar populations, its similar locations in Albuquerque every year, he says. His attorney had raised issues of the boys competency early on, saying the teen needed counseling and treatment for mental health issues. The average police department saw a 7% rise in homicides, the data shows. 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 material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, While 2022 brought more homicides, APD also says theyve solved more cases in 2022 than in 2021. For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. This file photo released Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, by the Albuquerque Police Department shows Muhammad Syed. Authorities have yet to confirm that information. An attorney for Syed did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. Tuesday marked four days since police received word of their most recent murder. Yes, we have gangs. 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 of their bodies were found Four men in total all Muslims from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. 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 data in citywide crime statistics report is based on the official data that APD sends to the FBI. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. By JEFFREY COLLINS and JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press. And he points to the drug trade as a source of violence across New Mexico. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. City officials also have pointed to a lack of consequences for repeat offenders as one of the reasons Albuquerque continues to struggle with crime. The official website for the City of Albuquerque. Community members are hoping to make a change when it comes to gun violence in the Duke City.The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has reported 97 homicide victims, so far, in 2021. Early in the year, Albuquerque Given the recent increase in homicides, APD has been increasing both presence and engagement in certain areas, recently focusing on a Montgomery neighborhood with bouts of violence. Interactive Slider: Over the last few years, homicides (orange markers) have been focused around downtown Albuquerque and Central Ave. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And even data on violent crimes doesnt paint the full picture. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. Albuquerque Community Connect Camera Registry and Integration. Data from APD. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Hartsock attributed a higher solve rate to good detective work and communication among APD. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Liz Thomson points out that there does appear to be similar connections among Albuquerques homicides. 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. 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. ' she says. 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. 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. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office is investigating another 11 homicides in the areas surrounding the city. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. 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. View Albuquerque crime mapping information. 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. But Gallegos says that while public distrust of APD certainly exists, it isnt a big hinderance to APDs ability to investigate violent crime. 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. Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, a 27-year-old local city planner, was shot and killed on Aug. 1. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. 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. but officials have called him the "most likely" suspect in the murders of Naeem Hussain and 62-year-old Muhammad Zahir. , 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. 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). 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 murders: Afghan refugee indicted on third murder count in Muslim murders Muhammad Syed, a 51-year-old Afghan refugee who has lived in Court documents state that two guns purchased by Syed and his father at an Albuquerque gun store in July had been partially painted white. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. or redistributed. So one could argue that that was a drug-related crime, Thomson says. Both men were killed In the past, she says, it was easy to point the finger at political scapegoats or at gang violence. 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. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). For years, Albuquerque has had a problem with unsightly property, as reported by KRQE special assignment reporter Gabrielle Burkhart in 2017. "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. Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. We know this from exit interviews of officers who have retired or left departments, he says. (Credit: Albuquerque Police Department). 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. By this time last year, there were only 18. To some extent, data supports Medinas claim. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? 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 grand jury indicted him Friday on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence. He had just attended the funerals for the two other recent victims. 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. The most recent murder took place on Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. People see a camera and they feel better, but cameras dont necessarily prevent crime, she says. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Huffmyer also suggests that the dark cloud of administrative pressure and the eminent threat of public persecution can decrease law enforcement effectiveness. The car in question, a four-door dark gray or silver-colored Volkswagen sedan, bears tinted windows and is possibly a Jetta.