They're not calling it a full-scale gang war yet, but BC's specialized organized crime investigators admit they're hoping 2013 won't be a repeat of 2009.

"Anyone who's involved in the criminal lifestyle should be extremely cautious about their personal safety."

Sergeant Lindsey Houghton with BC's Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit says even though police have issued special warnings, at least two of the nine murders committed in recent days have been gang-related.

"We've taken unprecedented steps to warn those in the gang lifestyle and specifically certain groups like the Dhak-Duhre group to stop. It's only a couple months ago that we saw Sukh Dhak and Thomas Mantel were shot to death."

Houghton says it's too early to classify what's happening now a gang war. 

"We saw a huge number of homicides that were gang-related in 2009. Now, since then, we've seen a dramatic reduction in the number of homicides generally."

Houghton adds it's fortunate no innocent people have been caught in the crossfire.

The latest shooting killed 29-year old Manjinder Hairan in North Surrey.

Investigators have confirmed his murder was gang-related.