Toronto police Wednesday released new images of a person of interest in the Boxing Day shooting of a 15-year-old girl that shocked the nation, in hopes that they will trigger tips leading to an arrest in the slaying.
The images show a black man, about 20 years old, wearing what Staff Inspector Brian Raybould of the Toronto Police Service's homicide squad called a ”very distinctive tan suit.” He is also wearing a white headband.
The man is about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall with a medium build, Staff Insp. Raybould said during a press conference at police headquarters.
”You will see him with another group of young men. That individual wearing the tan suit on Boxing Day last year is the individual we would like to talk to in terms of continuing this investigation. He is certainly a witness, we believe, to what happened based upon our investigation so far. And we would like to talk to him as soon as possible,” Staff Insp. Raybould said.
On Dec. 26 about 5:30 p.m., high-school student Jane Creba was killed and six other people were injured when they were caught in a crossfire of bullets hit a crowd of shoppers on Yonge Street. Two men had already been charged in the shooting, although no charges had been laid in Jane's death.
Staff Insp. Raybould noted that the young man in the suit took someone to the nearby St. Michael's Hospital shortly after the shooting. The person taken to the hospital was not able, however, to tell police who the man in the tan suit was.
Staff Insp. Raybould was unclear in answering questions surrounding why the injured man was not able to give police information on the person of interest in the tan suit.
"He has been unable to assist us." Staff Insp. Raybould added he could not say whether the man was shot or whether he fears for his life.
Police said they released the images Wednesday in hope of obtaining for further assistance from the public.
”I would like this morning to tell you that the community of Toronto has been greatly affected by the murder of Jane Creba and I think probably the community of Canada has been greatly affected.
"As a result, we have had excellent assistance from places throughout the community in terms of people coming forward and giving us descriptions, giving up background information, and in many cases, of course, supplying us security videos for the area where this terrible crime happened.”
Explaining the delay in issuing these photos, he said police have received ”hundreds of hours” of video from members of the public and taxi drivers that took weeks to analyze.
Many have been frustrated at the lack of information on the case.
”We have not released a lot of information in this investigation,” Constable Wendy Drummond from the Toronto Police told television news station CP24 earlier in the day. ”So it is an important step to release these images and once again request the assistance of the public in identifying.” Police were to release the images on their website, as well.
Staff Insp. Raybould said Wednesday's release of the pictures is in no way an indication that the police investigation has stalled.
"This is a next step," he said. "A natural next step in a very lengthy and complex investigation and we're very positive this will assist us to the appropriate conclusion."
He would not comment on whether police are nearing the end of their probe.
