The Trenton Times published the following article on February 25, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Six people shot in Trenton over the weekend, police say

By Alex Zdan/The Times 
on February 25, 2013 at 8:52 PM

TRENTON — A 25-year-old city man is clinging to life last night after being shot multiple times Sunday afternoon while getting out of his car, one of six gunshot victims in the city this weekend, police said.

The burst of violence may in part represent a resumption of hostilities between groups in two sections of the West Ward, one around North Hermitage Avenue near West State Street and the other on Sanhican Drive.

Reported shootings alternated between the two areas early last spring and again in August in a vicious back-and-forth that may have restarted early Saturday when a gang member’s brother was targeted.

According to two police sources, 19-year-old Hakeem Abdul Frazier and two others were shot outside a South Broad Street nightclub. Frazier’s brother is Quaadir “Ace” Gurley, a high-level drug dealer and gang leader, said the sources, who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.

Lt. Steve Varn, the head of the detective bureau, would not identify the shooting victims. He said his investigators are examining the weekend’s gunplay to see if any incidents are connected.

Frazier was shot several times, a 27-year-old Lawrence man was hit in the leg and a city woman was shot in the chest across the street from Club 712, a gentleman’s club at 712 S. Broad St., around 1:15 a.m. Saturday.

“As they were out in the parking lot talking, the suspect came out in the parking lot and began firing,” Varn said.

The suspect fled on foot and the victims ran towards the fire department’s Engine 3 nearby. A description of the suspect was not available.

The attack may have boomeranged back to Sanhican Drive by 3:30 p.m. the next day, when the unnamed 25-year-old was shot in several places, most seriously in the chest, and was rushed into emergency surgery. He was listed in critical condition this evening.

Violence then revisited the North Hermitage Avenue area near where Gurley lives.

A moving gun battle and chase that left a car and a bank shot up, but no one injured, led to three arrests on North Hermitage just before 10 p.m. Sunday, Varn said. A 23-year-old city resident said he was targeted, pursued as he drove his car by two vehicles whose occupants were shooting at him, police said.

Officers in the area heard the shots and flooded the area, arresting Isaiah Green, 19, along with a 16-year-old and 17-year-old, all city residents, who face aggravated assault charges. The 23-year-old escaped unhurt.

The Bank of America near North Hermitage and Artisan Street was apparently hit by the gunfire during the melee. The West District police precinct is on the other side of the intersection. A car found nearby with bullet holes Monday morning was likely hit during the Sunday night shooting, police said.

Two other shootings were reported on Saturday and Sunday.

Frazier was previously shot outside a West State Street convenience store last March. His brother, Gurley, was shot at Rowan Towers last February and apparently shot at but not hit on Boudinot Street in August.

Anyone with information on the shootings is asked to call police at (609) 989-4170 or the Confidential Tip Line at (609) 989-3663.

Contact Alex Zdan at azdan@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5705.