BY: ABQ RAW staff
POSTED: 07/13/2023
APD homicide investigators gather evidence from homicide at Stardust Skies Park. A transient female was killed in the early morning hours on June 23rd, 2023.
Albuquerque, NM –
In recent years, the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has found itself in the grip of a rising wave of violence, with its murder rate reaching alarming heights. Once known for its picturesque landscapes and vibrant cultural heritage, the city now finds itself grappling with a dark reality that threatens the safety and well-being of its residents.
In 2022, the final murder rate was 170 people killed and at this time this year there were 96 homicides.
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By our homicide count for 2023 we are at 86 homicides for the year. That is a 11% drop in homicides from last year. In 2022, the first 7 months had 5 months of 10 homicides or more. This year in 2023, Albuquerque area has had 3 months of double digit homicides.
July 2023 has been the deadliest month for homicides with a total of 16 homicides with 8 day still left in the month.
APD Police Chief Harold Medina’s Twitter account which is ran by himself and civilian APD communications director Gilbert Gallegos got in a Twitter spat with Albuquerque citizens about the homicide numbers.
The use of Twitter by the Mayor Tim Keller, and APD administration to push back any negativity about the administration has been commonplace. Albuquerque City Councilors have raised concerns over this type of social media arguments online with official APD accounts attacking civilians.
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Local authorities have been struggling to address the root causes of this surge in violence. Societal issues such as poverty, drug abuse, and gang activity have been cited as contributing factors, creating a complex web of challenges for law enforcement agencies.
If the Albuquerque area has at least 5 months of double digit homicide numbers for the rest of the year the homicide record will be tied or broken.
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BCSO investigators work a scene of a homicide at 1849 Coors Blvd SW in Albuquerque, NM on 03/14/2023.
It should note our records have at least 10 cases of people who died suspiciously awaiting the Office of the Medical Investigator to rule the cause of death. There are at least 9 cases with APD where a violent crime happened and the victim was in critical condition. APD has not provided any additional updates. BCSO has none pending in our records.
BREAKDOWN OF HOMICIDES AND BY AGENCY FOR 2023 (AS OF JULY 20TH, 2023):
APD – 79 homicide cases
4 – Officer involved homicides
6 – Self defense by civilians
69 – felony murder charges pending
BCSO – 7
6 – felony murder charges
1 – deputy involved shooting
Our homicide totals always include both “non justified” homicides and “justifiable”(self defense) homicides. We report exactly as the OMI since they do not differentiate between the two. The police and the courts will ultimately decide if the killing was a crime. But the medical examiner determines the cause of death.