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Quaadir Gurley, left, in a 2009 mugshot. Gurley was shot to death early Sunday in a murder police are investigating as possibly connected to a series of shootings between rival factions including one on Sanhican Drive in February (right).

(Police and Times File Photo)

TRENTON — An alleged drug crew leader who survived at least two shootings last year and whose main area of operations has been engaged in back-and-forth of violence with another West Ward group for at least 18 months was shot and killed early yesterday morning.

Quaadir “Ace” Gurley was 24, police said. Detectives also are investigating connections between a 19-year-old found shot in the leg on the other side of the city just minutes after the Gurley shooting, but they would not say if they believe the two incidents are related.

“People are all saying there’s going to be retaliation,” the Rev. Lee Ingram said yesterday afternoon. “So we’re just waiting for nightfall.”

Police said Gurley was on the 100 block of Rossell Avenue, inside the Donnelly Homes housing complex, when he was shot. About 1:30 a.m. Sunday, at least one gunman approached Gurley and opened fire. Gurley was struck several times.

An ambulance rushed Gurley to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, where he died, Lt. Steve Varn said.

Seven minutes after police were sent to Rossell Avenue, they received a 911 call for a man down on Sanhican Drive, Varn said. Officers found a 19-year-old who had been shot in the leg, and an ambulance took him to the Regional Medical Center.

Gurley survived a Feb. 2012 shooting behind the Rowan Towers apartment complex on West State Street, where he was shot several times during a gunfight. Immediately after his release from the hospital, police arrested Gurley on drug charges, saying they had pursued a man involved in the shooting to a home that had 100 grams of crack cocaine and 50 grams of heroin inside, ready for sale.

Gurley was also shot at nine times on North Hermitage Avenue last August, but he was not hit. In late February, Gurley’s brother, Hakeem Abdul Frazier, was shot outside a nightclub on South Broad Street. Ingram said the shooting left Frazier paralyzed.

Gunshots followed on Sanhican Drive 26 hours later, leaving a 25-year-old man seriously injured. The weekend closed out with two carloads of men firing at a target on Hermitage Avenue, hitting no one, and police arresting three teenagers.

Varn yesterday morning would not say whether police believe Gurley’s death was a result of any rivalry with any other group in the city.

A full description of the suspect in Gurley’s shooting was not available, and Varn said no arrests have been made. No weapons or contraband were found on Gurley, Varn said.

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

Trenton Crime-Stoppers can be reached at 278-TIPS (8477), online attrentoncrimestoppers.com or by texting information and keyword TCSTIPS to 274637.

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