ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Three homeless people have been murdered in three months here in the metro, and people who work with the homeless in Albuquerque are concerned.
Being homeless in Albuquerque can be hard; it can also be dangerous. “Unfortunately, this community is extremely vulnerable. They’re outside, they have a lot less resources, and it can just be a really challenging environment to navigate,” said Charlie Verploegh, Deputy Director, Social Services and Connections with Health, Housing, and Homelessness.
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People who work with the homeless said they’ve noticed a rash of crimes against people on the streets. In May, two teenagers are accused of killing a homeless man who was found dead inside of tent behind an apartment on Carlisle Blvd. Surveillance video shows the teens walking by the man’s tents shortly before shots were fired.
A month later, in June, a different group of five teens went to a gas station where police said they tried to rob homeless people for gas money. It turned into a shoot-out with a bystander, and a homeless woman was shot and killed.
In July, a 16-year-old is facing charges for chasing, shooting, and killing homeless man near Menual Blvd. and Eubank Blvd. Police believe this teen was also tied to a crime in Santa Fe, where a group attacked a pregnant woman and her family the same day. “It’s heartbreaking to hear about violent crime being committed against unhoused individuals,” said Verploegh.
The City of Albuquerque’s Department of Health, Housing, and Homelessness said they work in collaboration with Albuquerque police and Albuquerque Community Safety to address issues like this. They said their Gateway Shelter has been serving up to 660 people a night, more than they’ve seen in past years, crediting some of that to improvements at the facility. “We’ve just done all kinds of things to create safety, so places where people can lock their belongings, we have cameras in the facility, we have security in the facility, we have lots of staff,” said Verploegh.
The city is also pushing for more Safe Outdoor Spaces for those not wanting to stay at a shelter. “I think sometimes violence can surround people that are unsheltered, sometimes it’s something that’s directed towards them, not created because of them,” said Verploegh.
