What Killed Jane Creba - by Anita Arvast (Paperback)

About the Book

The death of a fifteen-year-old girl caught in the crossfire of "gang warfare" the day after Christmas in downtown Toronto shook the city to its core. A decade later, What Killed Jane Creba takes us through what led to the shooting, compared to what was said and done afterward, to show something far more nuanced than gang rivalries.

Book Synopsis

The sensational story of a girl's tragic death and the whirlwind of racial prejudices that came in its wake.

On Boxing Day 2005, fifteen-year-old Jane Creba was fatally shot on one of the busiest streets in Toronto. Police and journalists reported her death as that of an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of rival gangs.

In the months that followed Creba's death, fifty-six men of colour were arrested in connection with the shooting. Twelve men went to preliminary hearings. One black man pleaded guilty, and another three men, also black, were convicted of her murder.

But only one bullet killed Jane.

What Killed Jane Creba is not only a story of a true crime, but of the sensationalism and prejudice that clouded the story from the outset. The author guides readers through the incident and its aftermath, revealing that the whole truth can only be known when we set aside judgements and begin to ask questions: who, what, when, where, how, why, and what next?

Review Quotes

A fascinating look at Toronto's rap subculture and the social inequalities that run rampant in a city that most see as fair and progressive.-- "Napanee Beaver"

Anita Arvast uses the case as a springboard for examining racial inequities and fault lines that too frequently go unacknowledged in Canada.-- "Quill and Quire"

Good investigative journalism ... of particular interest to those in fields such as social justice, race relations, community services and anyone with an interest in the justice system.-- "The Miramichi Reader"

About the Author

Anita Arvast is a professor of literature and cultural studies at Georgian College and has numerous publications in the arenas of social justice, education, literature, and true crime, including the book Bloody Justice: The Truth Behind the Bandidos Massacre at Shedden. She lives in Barrie, Ontario.