Sammy Yatim's family wipe away tears as they speak at Forcillo's sentencing

SammyYatim'smother wept as she told the court she missed her son with "every cell of her being," describing her family'spain since theToronto teen was fatally shot by a police officer on an empty streetcar nearly three years ago.

• James Forcillo case: Crown says events that led to death could have been avoided

"I know nothing in this world will compensate me for the life of my son. All I ask is justice," Sahar Bahadisaid, reading from a victim impact statement. "I want Sammy's death to mean something."

The Crown asked the judge to sentence Const. James Forcillo to eight to 10 years in prison, while the defence has argued that the Toronto officer be punished with house arrest instead.

The teen'smother, father and sister choked up as they addressed the court and, later, the media.

"I miss him terribly," Bill Yatimsaid in his victim impact statement. "I still can't believe my boy is gone. I see someone who looks like him down the street, and I jump."

Yatimwas shot to death on July 27, 2013after policeresponded to reports of a passenger carrying aweapon on a Toronto streetcar.

A sentencing hearing for Forcillo, the Toronto police officer convicted in the death of Yatim, is underway in Ontario Superior Court. Forcillowas found guilty ofattempted murder.

The defence is now presenting a rebuttal of arguments presented by the Crown earlier this week.

The Crown argued Tuesday thatForcillo failed to make useofpolice training in "non-forceful" techniquesfrom the moment he got out of his police cruiser the night that Yatimwas killed.

Crown prosecutor Milan Rupic told Justice Edward Thenthat Forcillocould have avoided the sequence of events that led to the death of Yatimhad he approached the situation differently.

Rupic said Forcillo did not try to de-escalate the situation.

Yatim was shot to death on a stopped, empty streetcaron Dundas Street West near Bellwoods Avenue in Toronto.

In January, a jury acquittedForcilloof second-degree murder, but convicted him of attempted murder for continuing to fire atYatimafter the woundedteen had already fallento the floor of the streetcar.

Forcillo's defence team argued last week that he should be held under house arrest instead of servingtime behind bars. It has argued that a mandatory minimum sentence in this case is unconstitutional and was not intended to apply to police officerswho must carry guns and protect the public.

The Crown has said Forcillo should go to prison for more than five years and a mandatory minimum sentence is reasonable for attempted murder. It has also said Forcilloshouldbe sentenced to more than five years so the constitutionality of the sentence is not an issue.

Submissions on sentencing are expected tofollowstatements from Yatim's family.