Gunfight charges laid
20-year-old facing eight counts was
out on parole
Chris Wattie and Siri Agrell, with files from Melissa Leong
National Post; with files from and Global News
Friday, December 30, 2005
TORONTO - Police have charged a 20-year-old man
with various weapons offences related to the
Boxing Day shootout on Yonge Street, in which a
15-year-old girl was killed and six other people were
injured.
Andre Thompson had been out on probation for
just over two months in connection with a robbery
charge and a court order ruled he was barred
from possessing any weapons.
According to court documents obtained yesterday,
Thompson is facing eight charges relating to
Monday's incident, including pointing a firearm
and discharging a weapon "at a large group of
unknown persons."
He is also charged with possession of a restricted
weapon, possession of a loaded weapon,
possession of a stolen weapon and violating the
terms of his parole order, issued on Oct. 6.
Thompson and an unidentified 17-year-old were
picked up at a subway station less than half an
hour after the gun battle erupted near Yonge
and Elm streets.
Police seized a 9-mm semi-automatic handgun
from the men.
The younger man, who may not be named under
the Youth Criminal Justice Act, also faces
charges, but it is not clear what those charges
are.
Jane Creba, a Grade 10 student, was killed
when a spray of shots followed a dispute
between two groups of about 15 young men
outside the busy Foot Locker store.
Six other people were injured, one of them
critically.
Constable Wendy Drummond of the
Toronto Police Service said Thompson has not
been charged in the fatality or the other
casualties.
"We are still awaiting forensic tests on the
weapon for that," Const. Drummond said.
Detectives are hoping the two men will lead
them to about a dozen others believed to have
been involved in the altercation that led to the
shootout.
Police have also said they are still seeking at
least one other handgun used in the shooting.
Chief Bill Blair has said his officers are
"aggressively" pursuing the case and vowed to
bring everyone involved to justice, including the
"gangs that support what was going on down
there. We're going to lock them up."
Toronto police have had limited success at catching
many of the gunmen behind a rash of shootings
this year in Canada's largest city.
Jane was the 52nd person shot dead in Toronto
this year, but police acknowledge there have
been arrests in only about a third of those
shootings. Const. Drummond said 34 of this
year's fatal shootings remain "open cases."
Detective Sergeant Doug Quan, head of the
Toronto police gang section, acknowledged
that there has been criticism of police
effectiveness in tackling violent gangs.
"There is some truth there," Det-Sgt. Quan
said. "But the truth is also that we have been
pretty successful in locking up some fairly
serious and more senior gang members that
does create a void within some gangs in
some parts of the city."
He said it can be difficult to investigate gangs
with often fluid memberships and
ever-changing activities and leaders.
"What we know about them changes from
day to day."
Yesterday, the first paramedic on the scene of
Monday's shooting revisited the place where
Jane fell and where a makeshift memorial has
sprung up.
"My heart breaks for her," Lucia Campisi told
Global News as she stood in front of the
collection of teddy bears and flowers.
Ms. Campisi said she was overwhelmed when
she first arrived on the chaotic scene of the
Boxing Day shooting, but quickly began trying
to save Jane, who was clearly the most seriously
injured.
But the teenager was taken to hospital with no
vital signs and was declared dead soon after.
After hours of working on victims of the
shootings, Ms. Campisi said she went home
feeling "numb" and is now getting counselling
to deal with the incident.
"At one point, I was inconsolable for a couple
of hours."
Throughout the day, Jane's friends gathered
around the memorial, crying and clutching
photos of their friend. Light rain dampened the
letters people had written. One that was taped
to the store window read: "Dear Jane, I am a poor,
young black woman who has unfortunately both
lived among the gang lifestyle and been victim
of crime myself.
"I'm sorry you have been taken from your
friends, family and all of us way too soon by
this heartless, senseless violence. I'm sorry our
paths will never cross one day physically, but I
feel they have spiritually," said the hand-printed
letter, in capital letters.
John Tory, the Ontario Conservative leader,
visited the shooting scene yesterday morning,
leaving a bouquet of red roses, before holding a
news conference nearby at which he called for
the immediate implementation of measures to
address gun violence in Toronto.
"We have been in denial for several years now as
to how serious this problem really is," he said.
"The time for denial is over."
Mr. Tory called for another 1,000 police officers
on Toronto streets, as well as an end to
sentencing deals and plea bargains for weapons
offences.
He also said the federal government must
implement a promised increase to mandatory
minimum sentences for gun crimes by
April 30, 2006.
Mr. Tory said Toronto also needs to expand
social programming for the city's troubled
neighbourhoods. He acknowledged that many
of the cuts to such programs occurred during
the provincial reign of his party under
Mike Harris.
"Everybody has to shoulder a share of the
blame," he said. "If it's about fixing past mistakes,
then so be it."
© National Post 2005
link:
http://news.google.ca/nwshp?tab=wn&ned=ca&topic=n
Police will find these shooters and justice will be done.
Unfortunately it will be too late for the 15 year old
innocent victim. Many Torontonians are shocked
that violence is so common these days and it is
unfortunate that so many gangs are on our streets.
Obviously Tookie Williams death has shown them
nothing!
A life is a precious thing and no one should take it easily!
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