ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The latest numbers show that 80 people have been killed in homicides investigated by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) so far this year. That’s 23 fewer than the same time last year.
The year 2022 was a record-breaking for homicides in Albuquerque, with a total of 120 homicides, according to APD. Generally, the majority of homicides happen during the warmer months, meaning Albuquerque seems on track to stay below the record this year.
This year, APD says they have solved 63 homicide cases. Most of those – 44 cases – were for homicides committed in 2023. The rest were cases initiated in previous years.
Of the homicides investigated in 2023, APD says firearms were used in 81% of the homicides. Knives and lethal cutting instruments were used in 11% of the homicides.
Of the 80 homicides in 2023 so far, more than half were motivated by “individual disrespect,” according to APD. That means the police believe that in more than half of the cases, something like a disrespectful look or an angry tone was the inciting incident rather than other causes like a drug deal gone wrong.
While not all instances of disrespect lead to homicides, APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos does say that “when people are constantly disrespected, they may feel like they have no other choice but to defend themselves, even if it means using violence.”
