Creba may have tried to duck, trial hears

TORONTO - The first trial in the Boxing Day shooting death of Jane Creba is hearing the Grade 10 student may have been crouching down when the fatal shot struck her.

After a delay caused by a juror's illness last week, the Crown today painted a chaotic scene on a downtown Toronto street on Dec. 26, 2005, when Creba was killed in the crossfire of a brazen gun battle.

Crown prosecutor Kerry Hughes told the jury in her opening statement that no fewer than three guns -- and as many as five -- were fired.

Hughes says autopsy results suggest Creba heard the shots and crouched down just before the bullet entered her back and exited at the base of her throat.

The 15-year-old was shopping with her family when she was killed.

A 20-year-old man, who cannot be named because he was 17 when arrested, is charged with second-degree murder, six counts of attempted murder and five firearms offences.

Hughes does not contend the youth fired the bullet that killed Creba, but told the jury she intends to show that seven of the eight shell casings and two of the four bullets found at the scene came from the gun found on him.