He acknowledged over the summer that the city would surely surpass 100 killings in 2021, and he remains under pressure to address the problem as he starts his second term. Police said the victim 13-year-old Bennie Hargrove was trying to protect another boy who was being bullied. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. Its been a tough year, Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina told reporters at a November 8 news conference. View Albuquerque crime mapping information. Police believe three recent murders and a murder that happened on Nov. 7, 2021, could be potentially connected. A ShotSpotter activation showed 13 gunshots were fired. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Copyright 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. 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. Homicides, of course, contribute to the violent reputation. But Gallegos says that while public distrust of APD certainly exists, it isnt a big hinderance to APDs ability to investigate violent 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. Before those three shootings, 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi was discovered shot and killed in the rear parking lot of a halal caf he owned with his brother in November 2021. 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. And before then, 41-year-old Aftab Hussein was fatally wounded on July 26, 2022. 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.". 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. In the first three quarters of 2021, Albuquerque had 111 violent crimes per 10,000 people, according to FBI data. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The motivation for that crime boils down to stolen marijuana and money. Data from APD. Albuquerque Police Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock said at the time that "the motives are still being explored fully to understand what they are.". Market data provided by Factset. SON OF AFGHAN ALLEGED GUNMAN IN NEW MEXICO KILLINGS OF MUSLIM MEN POSSIBLY ASSISTED MURDER PLOT: FEDS, Shaheen Syed, left, possibly helped his father, Muhammad Syed, right, surveillance one of his alleged victims. 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. Huffmyer also suggests that the dark cloud of administrative pressure and the eminent threat of public persecution can decrease law enforcement effectiveness. Rather, homicides were often simply disputes that spun out of control. Squabbles over drugs and not necessarily large amounts of drugs have often led to homicides in the past. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The bill narrowly passed the House and is poised to be considered by the full Senate. Story tips can be sent to stephanie.pagones@fox.com and on Twitter: @steph_pagones. But, Nicholas Huffmyer, a captain at the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, says that drugs and violence are inevitably linked. 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 the killings were initially believed to be the work of a serial killer, the involvement of a sex 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. 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. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. 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 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) New Mexicos largest city recorded 117 killings in 2021, shattering its previous homicide record by 46%. The four menall Muslimand from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. The previous homicide record of 80 was set just three years earlier, during Mayor Tim Kellers first term. His father, 51-year-old Muhammad Syed, has so far been charged with murder for two of the slayings the deaths of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain and Aftab Hussein. 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. To some extent, data supports Medinas claim. The Associated Press does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. 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. , One person dead, another hospitalized in SE ABQ shooting, Dancing in the Cave at the University of New Mexico, Whats happening around New Mexico Feb. 24 Mar. Albuquerque Homicides: Why are there so many? (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. 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. Additionally, APD has added new detectives to the homicide unit. The boy will remain in state custody until hes 21, the maximum sentence allowed for a child under New Mexico law. All rights reserved. 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. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). ' she says. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Still, Medina is hopeful. Albuquerque police and the FBI are investigating three recent murders of Muslim men for possible ties to the same offender, according to Albuquerque police. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TEXAS TO FIND NEW HOME, REFERENCED 'SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS': COPS. He said in an email to The Associated Press that Albuquerque is in a better position now than most cities because of continued investments in public safety and new violence intervention programs. 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. (Robert Browman/The Albuquerque Journal via AP), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Statistics released by Chicago police over the weekend listed 797 homicides 25 more than were recorded in 2020 and the most since 1996. Thats why we are pushing forward so fiercely. All of their bodies were found He said public behavior has changed dramatically in the last two years. 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. 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. We are falling in line with a lot of the other major, big cities, he said. Early in the year, Albuquerque KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. In 2019, there were only 22 homicides by April 18. The APDs crime data system is dynamic and additional information may be added or refined after the data are sent to the FBI. Interactive Slider: New Mexicos homicide rate (estimated from incomplete data) has historically outpaced both neighboring states and the national homicide rate per capita. Keller has acknowledged the challenges for New Mexicos largest city. The four men all Muslim and from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. FILE - Family members wait to pick up students after a fatal shooting at Washington Middle School in Albuquerque, N.M., on Aug. 13, 2021. And even data on violent crimes doesnt paint the full picture.