James Forcillo jury hears Sammy Yatim's last words

Brauti said Forcillo will testify that to him it "looked like the calm before the storm."

Yatim's last word was 'No,' defence says

When asked to drop the knife one final time, Yatim's last word, according to the defence, was "No," and then he moved forward.

"It was not a sprint, not a charge," but Brauti said Yatim moved with what the police officer perceived as intent, "almost like a tough guy, bring it on approach."

Brauti said Yatim disregarded the repeated pleas, and displayed "fearlessness" and "anger" that forced Forcillo into a decision because "waiting one more second" would have been unsafe for the officers and for the crowd gathered outside the streetcar.

Regarding the number of shots, Brauti said his client believed Yatim was still moving and had not surrendered. Even when on the ground, Forcillo believed the victim was on the attack.

There will be significant video evidence shown during the trial, including one from inside the streetcar. Brauti acknowledged that video differs from Forcillo's memory. "He will give you some explanations as to why his perception of how far Mr. Yatim got up is different from the video."

Among about a dozen witnesses, the Crown will call the TTC driver who was alone on a streetcar with Yatim before police got there. He is expected to testify that moments before he was shot, Yatim asked to call his father, according to the Crown.

Yatim's odd behaviour started at a transit stop near Yonge and Dundas streets where he told a TTC cleaner he needed a phone, wanted help and asked the cleaner to call police. Before the cleaner could act, Rupic said, Yatim boarded the streetcar heading west.

A family of four female family members also got on the streetcar and Yatim exposed himself to them, Rupic told the court. "He unzipped his pants, exposed his penis and took out a four-inch switchblade," he said.

Brauti also said the family members were on their way to a Justin Bieber concert when Yatim, seated near them "pulled out his penis and was rubbing it with his hand," while holding the switchblade. It was a 12-year-old girl sitting just a few feet away that noticed him first.

The lawyer said Yatim became enraged when the family members rose to exit and that's when the teen lunged with the knife toward the throat of one of the women. "She will tell you that had she not jerked back as Mr. Yatim attempted to slash her, she would not be alive today," he said.

The women screamed and made their way to the front of the streetcar. Rupic had earlier told the court that Yatim didn't pursue them or other passengers.

He was left alone with the driver, who asked if Yatim wanted to call someone. Rupic said when the teen said he did the driver asked, "Who do you want to call." Yatim responded, "My dad," Rupic said.