LONDON, The United Kingdom – A Metropolitan Police officer is scheduled to be charged with the murder of Chris Kaba, a 24-year-old man who was shot and killed during a police operation in Streatham Hill, south London, last year.
The officer, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this Thursday, September 21, 2023.
The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), informed the family of Mr. Kaba and the officer of their decision on Wednesday morning.
The case has been a focal point for tensions, particularly among London’s black communities, and has led to several protests demanding justice for Kaba, who was a construction worker and soon-to-be father.
Mr. Kaba was unarmed during the incident on September 5, 2022. He was followed by multiple police vehicles before being blocked by a marked car in Kirkstall Gardens.
He was fatally shot by a single gunshot fired into the vehicle he was driving shortly before 11:00 p.m. BST. An inquest revealed that he died in the hospital in the early hours of the following morning.
In a joint statement, the family of Mr. Kaba welcomed the decision to charge the officer, saying, “Chris was so very loved by our family and all his friends. He had a bright future ahead of him, but his life was cut short. Our family and our wider community must see justice for Chris.”
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has had the evidence file since March, following its referral from the IOPC.
According to Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division, the CPS conducted a “thorough review of the evidence.”
The IOPC had previously noted that no “non-police issue firearm” had been found following a detailed search of the car and surrounding area after the shooting.
While the officer remains suspended from duty, the Metropolitan Police said they would consider misconduct matters once criminal proceedings conclude.
A spokesperson for the Met Police Federation, which supports police officers, noted that being a firearms officer in London is “one of the world’s toughest jobs.”
The spokesperson added, “Officers who volunteer for the role know the responsibility and accountability that come with it,” stating that the decision would likely affect the morale and outlook of officers going forward.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap described the impending charge as a “significant and serious development.” She also stated, “We must now allow the court process to run its course so it would not be appropriate for me to say more at this stage,” while noting that the Met “fully supported the IOPC investigation” and that their “thoughts are with everyone affected by this case.”
As the community and the nation await the outcome of this emotionally-charged and legally complex case, it remains to be seen how the proceedings will affect broader conversations about policing and justice in the UK.
