This was a terrible tragedy for everyone involved, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement Thursday. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Although the FBI updates its data bases regularly it does not update published reports. Additionally, APD has added new detectives to the homicide unit. ALBUQUERQUE POLICE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING VEHICLE OF INTEREST IN MURDERS OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN. 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. In the past, she says, it was easy to point the finger at political scapegoats or at gang violence. The lie that people are told is that drug crimes are nonviolent, Huffmyer says. In December of last year, Kyle Hartsock, the deputy commander overseeing the departments Criminal Investigations Division spoke about why on KRQE News 13s podcast. The shooting happened during the lunch hour at the school in front of numerous students who had returned for the fall semester just two days earlier. In 2018, the Albuquerque Police Department began reporting crime statistics using the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). 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Many police departments saw an increase in homicides this year. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. Both men were killed near Central Avenue in southeast Albuquerque, police said. Data from FBI UCR Program. 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. Liz Thomson points out that there does appear to be similar connections among Albuquerques homicides. All rights reserved. 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. This year, Albuquerque police have investigated more homicides than any time in the last 35 years. All rights reserved. Market data provided by Factset. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. The Associated Press does not generally identify juvenile crime suspects. 3 Mar. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Shaheen Syed was charged last week with lying about his address when he purchased two guns in 2021. Shaheen Syed, 21, pictured in a 2021 Florida drivers license photo included in court documents. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) There were more than 100 homicides in Albuquerque this year. What can be done in the meantime is increase police patrols in those areas. 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. Bregman said he hoped the plea would bring some closure to the family, who was in court Thursday. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. A grand jury indicted him Friday on three counts of first-degree murder and four counts of tampering with evidence. In fact, the Albuquerque Police Department counted 10 more homicides than in 2021, the previous record-setting year. 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. Shaheen Syed, 21, pictured in a 2021 Florida drivers license photo included in court documents. Albuquerque recorded 76 murders in 2020, four fewer than in 2019. Family members told judge that Bennie was missed and that it hurt even more that another child was the one who committed the crime. You start to look deeper and you realize: Is it really the drugs? Across the country, many police departments are reporting an increase in homicides. 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This list will be updated as new information becomes available. And the problem extends far beyond Central. Data from APD. We know this from exit interviews of officers who have retired or left departments, he says. At the end of December 2022, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) published a list of 120 homicides that had occurred throughout the year. The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. Its not clear why New Mexico is particularly prone to violence. Syed, the suspect, has "denied having any involvement in the murders in this case," according to a criminal complaint. So far this year, there has been an uptick in the number of homicides at motels and hotels. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of the entire states yearly homicide count. Legal Statement. Albuquerque homicides now account for more than half of New Mexicos entire yearly homicide count. 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. Former FBI investigator Bill Daly breaks down the case as law enforcement investigates the attack. 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. Authorities have yet to confirm that information. Interactive Slider: Over the last few years, homicides (orange markers) have been focused around downtown Albuquerque and Central Ave. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. 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. 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. Albuquerque Community Connect Camera Registry and Integration. 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. A motive has not been offered by prosecutors, but police said an "interpersonal conflict" may have led to the shootings. Story tips and ideas can be sent to Paul.Best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. 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 , 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. Hartsock also pointed out that APD has been working on increasing staffing and getting better technology along with focusing on detective training. (Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP). (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal via AP). Yet, I can pretty honestly say that I believe Chase Smotherman would have become violent if they had stolen his garden tools.. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) New Mexico is no stranger to violent crime, but so far this years homicide count is outpacing the average of the last two years by about 75%. While the killings were initially believed to be the work of a serial killer, the involvement of a sex 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. 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. Ahmadi was from Afghanistan, police said. It looks like nobody cares, Thomson says. While 2022 brought more homicides, APD also says theyve solved more cases in 2022 than in 2021. , 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). (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. Thats why we are pushing forward so fiercely. Drug-related homicides are definitely up this year quite a bit, says Gilbert Gallegos. 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. The motivation for that crime boils down to stolen marijuana and money. (Albuquerque Police Department via AP, File). The Syed family home is a few minutes drive from both the Islamic Center and Lutheran Family Services. The four menall Muslimand from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. Interactive Slider: New Mexicos homicide rate (estimated from incomplete data) has historically outpaced both neighboring states and the national homicide rate per capita. Now, the APD is about 200 officers short of being fully staffed, he adds. 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. Statistics released by Chicago police over the weekend listed 797 homicides 25 more than were recorded in 2020 and the most since 1996. NIBRS is the most current national framework for reporting crime and replaces the FBIs Summary Reporting System (SRS). All but three of the 2021 killings are being investigated by Albuquerque police, the Albuquerque Journal reported. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By JEFFREY COLLINS and JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. At the end of December 2022, the Altaf Hussain cries over the grave of his brother Aftab Hussein at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022. The four men all Muslim and from South Asia were ambushed, shot, and killed in Albuquerque since November 2021. Market data provided by Factset. There, officers discovered Aftab Hussein "lying next to a silver Hyundai sedan at" nearby, with multiple apparent gunshot wounds. In 2019, there were Estimates from the Federal Bureau of Investigation show that New Mexicos violent crime and homicide rates have been above the national average for several years now. or redistributed. 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.