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Violence Against Albuquerque Homeless Commonplace

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UPDATE from The Associated Press: Violence Against Albuquerque Homeless Commonplace 

The brutality of the killings on two homeless men shocked residents of New Mexico's most populous city, but homeless people and advocates for homeless services say violence is commonplace for those who live on the street.

Three teens are accused of killing two men whose heads were smashed with cinder blocks, and police say one of the three told police that they'd previously attacked other homeless people.

Anita Cordova of Albuquerque Health Care for the Homeless told the Albuquerque Journal that violence typically isn't news in the everyday world of the people her organization serves.

Cordova says she frequently sees people with black eyes, fat lips and other injuries after they've been kicked or knocked to the ground.

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Three Albuquerque teenagers are in police custody after being accused of bludgeoning two homeless men to death over the weekend.

The three teens, aged 18, 16, and 15 told police they were responsible for the killings that took place in an open field near Central Ave. on Albuquerque’s west side. According to a criminal complaint, one of the teens said he bashed the victims over the course of an hour using a cinder block 10 times.

Officer Simon Drobik was on the scene and said it’s unusual for violent crimes to last so long.  

“The time that they spent battering these poor homeless guys!” Drobik said. “I mean, to the point where we could not recognize their faces.“

Medical investigators are still working to identify the victims.  

The same teen suspect also said they had attacked 50 other homeless people in recent months. Police are asking people who work with homeless populations to ask around and identify other possible victims.

The Associated Press reports:

Prosecutors requested $1 million bond for each of the three teen suspects during initial court appearances Monday, but Metropolitan Court Judge Linda Rogers set bond at $5 million. She cited the gravity of the alleged crimes and the suspects' potential to flee.

Elaine Baumgartel was KUNM's News Director from 2013 to 2019. She was local Morning Edition host from 2007 through 2012 and she regularly hosted the station's live news and public affairs show for some years. Elaine originally came on board at KUNM as a volunteer and student employee in 2003.
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