Two decades have passed, but the memory remains as sharp and chilling as the winter air on Boxing Day 2005. The festive glow of downtown Toronto was shattered by the crackle of gunfire, an event that would claim the life of an innocent teenager and become a defining moment in the city's history.
The Day Innocence Was Lost on Yonge Street
On December 26, 2005, the sidewalks of Yonge Street were packed with post-Christmas shoppers. Amid the crowd was 15-year-old Jane Creba, a bright student and athlete from Riverdale Collegiate. She had crossed the street near the Eaton Centre to use a restroom at a Pizza Pizza, while her older sister waited nearby at Sam the Record Man.
She never returned. A brazen, wild-west-style gun battle erupted between two rival groups on the crowded public sidewalk. The confrontation began when Jeremiah Valentine confronted another group, allegedly stating, "Are these your boys?… 'Cuz these are my boys – and I’ve got a .357."
Gunfire followed. When it was over, 41 bullet fragments, eight shell casings, and two bullets littered the pavement. Three innocent bystanders were struck. Jane Creba, caught in the crossfire, was hit by a single bullet that entered her upper back and exited through the base of her throat, severing her aorta. She was pronounced dead at the scene, becoming the 52nd and final victim of Toronto's infamous "Year of the Gun."
Lead homicide detective Savas Kyriacou, who rushed to the scene from a family dinner, later told reporters, "Toronto has finally lost its innocence." He recalled the profound shock, noting it "could have been absolutely anyone, anyone’s daughter, anybody’s child."
A Complex Investigation and Lasting Legal Precedents
The investigation, dubbed "Green Apple" after Jane's favourite fruit, was massive. It involved reviewing thousands of hours of security video and interviewing countless witnesses. The public outrage was palpable. Then-Mayor David Miller captured the city's sentiment, calling Yonge Street "our street" and comparing the shooting to one "happening in front of your house."
The tragedy spurred immediate action. The federal government, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, introduced tougher bail laws for gun crimes, including a 'reverse onus' provision. The Toronto Police Service launched the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS). The case also set a critical legal precedent: participants in a gun battle could be convicted of murder even if they didn't fire the fatal shot.
Ultimately, seven men and three youths were charged. Four were convicted:
- Jorrell Simpson-Rowe, 17 at the time, was arrested 40 minutes after the shooting with the Ruger 9mm used in the fight. Convicted of second-degree murder, he was sentenced to life with parole eligibility after seven years. He has been denied parole multiple times.
- Jeremiah Valentine pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a life sentence with no parole for 12 years. He was granted full parole in January 2025 but was back in prison facing new murder charges within seven months.
- Tyshaun Barnett and Louis Woodcock were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 years. Both have been rearrested on serious charges since their release.
A Legacy of Unanswered Questions and Unchanged Realities
Jane Creba's family has maintained a dignified silence over the years, stating shortly after her death: "Our bright light tragically scattered into darkness… Her life has been transformed into a shooting star." In a recent email, her sister Alison affirmed that Jane remains in their hearts daily but that the family continues to choose privacy.
The murder sparked difficult conversations about race and violence, with some community advocates questioning why it took the death of a young white girl to galvanize such a widespread response to gun crime, which had long plagued other communities.
Two decades later, the sombre conclusion is that little has fundamentally changed. Just days before the 20th anniversary of Creba's death, another gunman, Damian Hudson, was convicted of murder for another brazen downtown shootout that killed an innocent victim.
The hope that Jane Creba's death would be a catalyst to end street gun violence in Toronto has faded. Her portrait, forever that of a 15-year-old girl, remains a haunting symbol of a tragedy that shook a city to its core—and of a problem that continues to defy solution.
