Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, a 27-year-old local city planner, was shot and killed on Aug. 1. Market data provided by Factset. But so far, 2021 homicides have been occurring further east. Both the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and APD say there continues to be challenges to preventing and solving violent crimes. or redistributed. The rise in fentanyl deals may also contribute, according to Hartsock. 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. Across the country, many police departments are reporting an increase in homicides. Four Muslim men murdered in New Mexico, FBI called in for support. 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. 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.". All Rights Reserved. , 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Homicide data from APD; map data from UNM RGIS/US Census, Its just a part of Albuquerque that looks like theres no oversight there. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). People see a camera and they feel better, but cameras dont necessarily prevent crime, she says. Police believe three recent murders and a murder that happened on Nov. 7, 2021, could be potentially connected. 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. A grand jury indicted him Friday on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence. 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. All rights reserved. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Other U.S. cities also saw increases in homicide numbers over the past year. 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. For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS. The record was broken that year and again in 2022. Nicholas Huffmyer from the sheriffs office says that overwhelming police presence does work. Market data provided by Factset. This file photo released Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, by the Albuquerque Police Department shows Muhammad Syed. He was originally arrested on Aug. 9. This is a nationwide trend. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Family members of many victims have been frustrated. "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. 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. Albuquerque has had more than one homicide over beer pong, she says to illustrate her point. (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.". 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. Data from FBI UCR Program. At the end of December 2022, the 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 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. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE, FBI INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN FOUR MURDERED MUSLIM MEN. 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. The August attack left New Mexicos largest school district reeling and marked the second shooting in Albuquerque in less than 24 hours. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. The contents of any site or link not maintained by the City does not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of the City of Albuquerque, its officials, agents or employees. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Crime Statistics Our Department Officer Wellness Internal Affairs Behavioral Sciences Section Sexual Assault Evidence Kit 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Legal Statement. (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. Interactive Slider: New Mexicos homicide rate (estimated from incomplete data) has historically outpaced both neighboring states and the national homicide rate per capita. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. An attorney for Syed did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. In the first three quarters of 2021, Albuquerque had 111 violent crimes per 10,000 people, according to FBI data. Albuquerque police and the FBI are investigating three recent murders of Muslim men for possible ties to the same offender, according to Albuquerque police. But Gallegos says that while public distrust of APD certainly exists, it isnt a big hinderance to APDs ability to investigate violent crime. This list will be updated as new information becomes available. The Metro Crime Initiative brings together all parts of the criminal justice system so we can end the revolving door for repeat offenders and finally strike a balance when it comes to keeping people safe., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Prosecutors claim that Shaheen Syed spoke with his father when his phone was somewhere in the general area of the Islamic Center of New Mexico and soon after his fathers phone pinged in an area that included Lutheran Family Services. Legal Statement. Early in the year, Albuquerque (U.S. District Court/AP). Muhammad Syed, a 51-year-old man who has lived in Albuquerque for about five years, is also suspected in a fourth murder that occurred in November 2021. John Anderson, Shaheen Syeds attorneysaid in court filings that the allegations against his client were "thin and speculative.". The motivation for that crime boils down to stolen marijuana and money. Syed is accused of waiting "behind a bush" for Hussein to park his car before ambushing him, according to court documents. The sooner people recognize that there is not one circumstance that is causing this, the better, Huffmyer says. 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. 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. The most recent murder took place on The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office is investigating another 11 homicides in the areas surrounding the city. At the end of December 2022, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) published a list of 120 homicides that had occurred throughout the year. There is one thing that certainly stands in the way of reducing Albuquerques violent crime, says Liz Thomson: In regards to reducing violent crime, investigating and solving violent crime, the blame game is the worst thing, she says. All rights reserved. He had just attended the funerals for the two other recent victims. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2023 The City of Albuquerque. 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. Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. or redistributed. Adding to the homicide team wont prevent homicides, APDs Gilbert Gallegos says. Albuquerque police say the first homicide happened on Nov. 7, 2021. That put Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent Syeds attorney argued that prosecutors gave no indication of the size of the area that his phone was in relative to the shooting. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). 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. By this time last year, there were only 18. That puts Albuquerque in the top 10 most violent cities with populations of over 100,000 people. previously reported that the citys homicide rate, 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. 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 police release body camera video of murder suspect being arrested. The FBI is assisting in the murder investigations. It isnt violent for you to just sit and smoke weed, but do you have any idea how that got here? he asks. KRQE News 13 reported that 2022 federal fentanyl busts around Albuquerque have been among the largest ever. Some of those are drug deals gone wrong. Police in New Mexico are stepping up security at Albuquerque-area mosques and Muslim community schools as investigators hunt for the suspect who gunned down four Muslim men over the past nine months. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) 2022 brought a record number of homicides to Albuquerque. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. spoke about why on KRQE News 13s podcast, 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, Man connected to political shootings to stay behind, Case dismissed for teen accused of taking gun to, Roswell man arrested in shooting of NMSP officers, Rust asst. In 2018, the Albuquerque Police Department began reporting crime statistics using the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Shots were fired at his SUV around 4 p.m., striking him in the head and the arm. 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. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). 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 The Albuquerque Police Department will be increasing its "police presence near mosques and Muslim affiliate schools," Keller wrote on Twitter. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The previous homicide record of 80 was set just three years earlier, during Mayor Tim Kellers first term. Shaheen Syed, left, possibly helped his father, Muhammad Syed, right, surveillance one of his alleged victims. Many police departments saw an increase in homicides this year. By this time last year, there were only 18. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. And yes, they can be violent, she explains, yet during her time as sergeant, not one single year was gang-related homicide ever a major [crime] category, she says. 3 Mar. Just having a police car patrolling in a neighborhood on a regular basis acts as a deterrent, he says. (Credit: Albuquerque Police Department). 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. Legal Statement. Paul Best is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. With the help of an interpreter, he "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," thecriminal complaint alleges. He said public behavior has changed dramatically in the last two years. Shaheen Syed, 21, appeared in U.S. district court in Albuquerque on Monday, with the judge granting a motion by federal prosecutors to keep him behind bars pending the ongoing investigation into the deaths of four Muslim victims dating back to November 2021. ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT TRIES TO SPEAK IN COURT; FAMILY REPORTEDLY SAYS HE WAS HOME AT TIME OF SLAYINGS. Albuquerques homicide count rose by about 30% in that time. As a result, violent crime including Albuquerques homicides are the result of what Huffmyer calls a mishmash of complex factors. 2021 was a record-breaking year for homicides in Albuquerque with 114, the first homicide happened on Jan. 8 and the last Dec. 31. The four menall Muslimand from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? ALBUQUERQUE MURDER SUSPECT SAID HE WAS GOING TO TEXAS TO FIND NEW HOME, REFERENCED 'SHOOTING OF MUSLIMS': COPS. Yet, I can pretty honestly say that I believe Chase Smotherman would have become violent if they had stolen his garden tools.. Albuquerque Police identify man killed outside Nob Hill home Authorities have yet to confirm that information. 2023 The City of Albuquerque. 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 Police Department via AP, File). Young people are getting together usually through social media to sell a small amount of drugs or guns, Gallegos says, and they meet up somewhere and the one party robs the other party and then it turns into a shooting or homicide. Not all of Albuquerques homicides start this way, but recently APD has seen more of these kinds of homicides, Gallegos says. The teen was initially charged with an open count of murder and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises. Its not clear why New Mexico is particularly prone to violence. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By August, Albuquerque had already equaled its record for homicides with 81, set in 2019. That count exceeds the 2021 record of 110 homicides counted by APD. 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%. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. ' she says. Neighboring states, such as Arizona and Texas, have seen an estimated five to six homicides per 100,000 people each year. 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. 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. 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