Indigenous people are gathering to honor loved ones who have gone missing or been killed. They're also calling for reforms to make their communities safer. May 5 is observed as a national day of awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement. Rallies, talking circles, self-defense classes and other events are planned at U.S.
Russia declares a truce in Ukraine to mark Victory Day.
Kyiv says it'll cease fire two days earlierPolice search for suspects in Oklahoma shooting that sent at least 18 people to hospitalsFormula 1's electrical revolution is losing its spark and V8 power could returnMet Gala 2026: Stars arrive on the Met stairs in art-inspired looksWall Street falls from its records and oil prices jump after fighting flares in the Middle EastAstronomers believe they've detected an atmosphere around a tiny, icy world beyond PlutoHow 2 men claimed an absurd record by driving an old 3-wheel car the length of AfricaFatou, the world's oldest gorilla living in captivity, celebrates her 69th birthday at Berlin ZooWhy the workouts of Formula 1 drivers might help computer users with 'tech neck'The World in PicturesWhat to know about hantavirus, the illness suspected in a cruise ship outbreakCDC warns of drug-resistant salmonella infections linked to backyard poultryAI is giving bad advice to flatter its users, says new study on dangers of overly agreeable chatbotsDid you find an animal nesting near your house?
Here's what to doDid the founders create a Christian nation?
No, but religion did shape their thinkingEstrenos de verano: Nolan, Spider-Man y"Toy Story" iluminan los cinesThe US fights to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as the UAE comes under attack in a test of Iran truceThe Afternoon WireRudy Giuliani is breathing on his own while hospitalized with pneumonia, spokesperson saysWrexham's Premier League dream is on hold but its global fanbase can keep dreamingHow Rihanna, Beyoncé and stars interpreted 'Fashion is art' at Met GalaWall Street falls from its records and oil prices jump after fighting flares in the Middle EastAstronomers believe they've detected an atmosphere around a tiny, icy world beyond PlutoHow 2 men claimed an absurd record by driving an old 3-wheel car the length of AfricaFatou, the world's oldest gorilla living in captivity, celebrates her 69th birthday at Berlin ZooWhy the workouts of Formula 1 drivers might help computer users with 'tech neck'The World in PicturesWhat to know about hantavirus, the illness suspected in a cruise ship outbreakCDC warns of drug-resistant salmonella infections linked to backyard poultryAI is giving bad advice to flatter its users, says new study on dangers of overly agreeable chatbotsDid you find an animal nesting near your house?
Here's what to doDid the founders create a Christian nation? No, but religion did shape their thinkingEstrenos de verano: Nolan, Spider-Man y"Toy Story" iluminan los cinesU. S. NewsIndigenous people and others gather in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to raise awareness about Indigenous relatives who have gone missing or who have been killed.
Indigenous people gather in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to dance and sing beneath a mural to honor relatives who have gone missing or been killed. A crowd gathers at City Hall in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to raise awareness about Indigenous people who have gone missing or who have been killed.
Indigenous people and others gather in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to raise awareness about Indigenous relatives who have gone missing or who have been killed. Indigenous people and others gather in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to raise awareness about Indigenous relatives who have gone missing or who have been killed.
Indigenous people gather in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to dance and sing beneath a mural to honor relatives who have gone missing or been killed. Indigenous people gather in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to dance and sing beneath a mural to honor relatives who have gone missing or been killed.
A crowd gathers at City Hall in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to raise awareness about Indigenous people who have gone missing or who have been killed. A crowd gathers at City Hall in Colorado Springs, Colo. , on Saturday, May 2, 2026, to raise awareness about Indigenous people who have gone missing or who have been killed.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Across the country, Indigenous people are gathering this week to honor loved ones who are missing or have been killed and to call for better data collection, law enforcement response and reforms to make their communities safer.
From U.S. state capitols and tribal community spaces to the streets of major cities, hundreds of marches, rallies, talking circles, self-defense classes and candlelight vigils are planned for the week of May 5, which is observed as a national day of awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement. The day reflects both the collective grief and the resilience of Indigenous communities, where the federal government has a legal responsibility to ensure public safety.
All too often, resources to prevent and respond to violence are in short supply. Many events call for participants to wear red, a color that has become synonymous with honoring Indigenous victims of violence in the U.S. and Canada. Native Americans face disproportionate rates of violence in the U.S., a crisis that advocates say is rooted in the systematic removal of Native people from their land and the federal government’s efforts to rid them of their cultures.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Native Americans and Alaska Natives are more than twice as likely than the general population to be victims of a violent crime, and Native women are twice as likely to be victims of homicide. At the end of 2025, the FBI’s National Crime Information Center recorded just under 1,500 active federal cases involving missing Native Americans.
Abigail Echo-Hawk, director of the Urban Indian Health Institute, said that there’s been progress in accounting for the true scope of the crisis but that law enforcement resources have been slow to follow.
“Don’t look at the numbers and feel sorry for us,” Echo-Hawk said, a citizen of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. “Look at the numbers and say, ‘How do we ensure that this doesn’t continue? ’”and the Not Invisible Act into law, both aimed at solving and preventing cases of violent crime in Indian Country with improved data collection and law enforcement reforms.convened two years behind schedule.
Its extensive recommendations — ranging from expanding authority for tribal law enforcement to improving communication with the victims’ families — were made public in 2023. The recommendations were removed from government websites last year amid the Trump administration’s purge of initiatives it associates with diversity, equity and inclusion.initiative, surging dozens of FBI agents, analysts and other personnel to field offices near tribal lands on a rotating, temporary basis.
According to the FBI, those assignments have yielded more than 200 arrests and convictions in homicide, domestic abuse and sexual assault cases since 2023. Michael Henderson, director of public safety for the Navajo Nation, said there are “pros and cons” to a bigger FBI footprint in Indian Country. Federal officers can bring fresh eyes and high-tech forensic tools to cold cases. But Henderson said many of these agents arrive with little experience working in Indigenous communities or investigating violent crime.
“More manpower from the FBI on reservations, that’s not a good solution in my mind,” Henderson said, adding that federal funds could be better spent staffing and funding tribal police departments. At a Sunday prayer walk in Colorado Springs, Colorado, marchers chanted, “No more stolen lives on stolen land” and carried signs with the photos and stories of dozens of Indigenous people who have been killed or have disappeared. Among the marchers was Denise Porambo.
Her daughter, Destiny Jeriann Whiteman, was killed last August where she lived on the Ute Mountain Ute reservation in southwest Colorado. She was 24 and had an infant son. In the absence of a nationwide strategy for handling these cases, advocates in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples movement say that burden often falls to family members.
Grace Bulltail’s 18-year-old niece, Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, was found dead several days after she disappeared from her home on the Crow Reservation in Montana in August 2019. Her family remembers her as a kindhearted person and a tenacious high school athlete. They organize marches, vigils and courthouse demonstrations to raise awareness about the case and tirelessly pester law enforcement for action and answers. No arrests have been made, and the cause of death was ruled inconclusive.
Stops Pretty Places’ grandmother is organizing a demonstration Tuesday at a courthouse bordering the Crow Reservation.
“We have had to advocate for ourselves and for Kaysera every step of the way,” Bulltail said. ___ Spears reported from Colorado Springs, Colorado. The US fights to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as the UAE comes under attack in a test of Iran truce
Michael Henderson Indigenous People Violence General News Domestic News ND State Wire North Dakota MN State Wire South Dakota Oregon SD State Wire New Mexico Oklahoma Colorado Arizona AK State Wire Washington CO State Wire AZ State Wire OK State Wire OR State Wire Minnesota Alaska WA State Wire NM State Wire Colorado Springs Law Enforcement U.S. News Abigail Echo-Hawk U.S. Federal Bureau Of Investigation Politics Denise Porambo U.S. Department Of Justice Grace Bulltail United States Government Albuquerque Race And Ethnicity U.S. News Race And Ethnicity
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
All-Indigenous soccer team gets set for debut in BrazilSávio Conrado Mura left his Indigenous village of stilt houses located deep in the Amazon rainforest to try his luck at professional soccer and hopefully one day play for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup.
Read more »
Alaska Native artists say Etsy’s new fur ban discriminates against Indigenous sellersEtsy’s new policy doesn’t appear to have exceptions for Indigenous artists, whose rights to harvest animals and create traditional crafts are often protected by federal law.
Read more »
Search underway for missing Northern Kentucky University studentMurry Alexis Foust, 22, was last seen on April 27, 2026, in Covington, Kentucky.
Read more »
YouTube’s auto-dubbing is missing one crucial feature: an off switchTech Product Reviews, How To, Best Ofs, deals and Advice
Read more »
Thermos Recalls Over 8 Million Bottles After Reports of ‘Permanent Vision Loss’The products are missing a key pressure relief mechanism, according to Thermos.
Read more »
Netflix’s Record-Breaking ‘Jurassic World’ Series Reveals What the Movies Keep MissingA dinosaur with its mouth open in Jurassic World Rebirth
Read more »