EL PASO, Texas -- Fights and shootings kept El Paso police officers busy as the city rang in 2009, and one of the assaults involved a UTEP football player and freshman, Jeken Frye, 18. Frye is backup quarterback for the team.

El Paso police spokesman Darrel Petry said a group of six teenagers, including known gang members, instigated a fight with several people, including Frye, Stanley Simmons, 19, and Steven Martinez, 19 who were at a home on the 5200 block of Trew Ct. Petry said the group drove by the home in an SUV yelling at the others before getting out with crowbars and metal water meter covers in hand. Police said two people were injured and taken to the hospital, but did not specify who.

The incident happened at 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The El Paso Police Department's Drive-by Shooting Response Team assisted officers.

Police said the attackers forced their way into Martinez's car and drove off in it, but crashed in someone's front yard a few blocks away on the 5100 block of Marcillus Ave..

"The car was on the corner house yard totaled, and there was smoke coming out form the vehicle," said a neighbor who didn't want to be identified because they feared retaliation.

Officers said those involved ran to hide at a home on the 5200 block of Beautonne Ave. Police arrested Fernando Coronado, 18, Albert Ochoa, 17, Erik Coronado, 17, Arturo Camacho, 17, Angel Barrera, 18, and a 16 year old male. They were all charged with engaging in organized criminal activity.

"I worry because I have a child and there are other kids that play in the block, and there are old folks," said a neighbor.

Police are calling the incident involving Frye gang-related, but are still investigating the relationship between Frye and his attackers who are known gang members.

In the northeast side of town police are also investigating a shooting on Vicksburg Dr. where no one was hurt.

The start of 2009 was busy for police with more violence across town.

"We had extra officers on patrol, but we had several high-profile type of incidents that occurred last night. We had a shooting in central El Paso were two men were taken to area hospitals," said Petry.

The shooting happened at a home in the 3000 block of Altura Ave. at 1:30 a.m. Police said Carlos Becerra, 27, pulled out gun and fired several rounds.

Emergency crews took a 25-year-old man to the Thomason Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest, and a 26-year-old man was taken to William Beaumont Medical Center with a gunshot wound to the arm. Detectives are still investigating if it's gang related.

Becerra faces two counts of criminal attempt murder and four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.