ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Authorities say Albuquerque has already had a record number of homicides this year within the city limits. City police say the homicide total hit 81 early Sunday. The previous record was set in 2019 when there were 80 homicides in Albuquerque. The total dropped to 77 in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Albuquerque Journal reports that the city is not alone in seeing a tremendous spike in violence in 2021. Data released by the Major Cities Chiefs Association showed that in the first six months of 2021, 45 cities out of the 66 that responded to a survey saw more homicides than in the first six month of 2019. In Arizona, Tucson has seen 57 homicides so far this year, compared with 34 at this time last year.