Shooting of Chris Kaba

Kaba had been charged in 2018 with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence,[1] in relation to an incident on 30 December 2017.[2] He was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court in January 2019, and sentenced to four years in a Young Offenders Institute.[2] He was released in 2021.[2]

In the months following his death, six men were charged with conspiring with Kaba to commit murder and grievous bodily harm; the charges relate to a shooting which took place in Tower Hamlets on 30 August 2022, days before Kaba's death.[3][4]

Kaba was a member of 67, a Brixton Hill-based drill rap group.[5] He was known by his stagename Madix or Mad Itch.[6] He had an apprenticeship to become an architect.[5]

Kaba was driving an Audi Q8, not registered to him, which was followed by an unmarked police car occupied by armed officers.[7] The Audi was believed by police to have been linked to a "firearms incident" the day before through automatic number-plate recognition.[7] The police car following did not activate their lights or sirens.[7]

At around 10.07pm, Kaba made a left turn from New Park Road onto Kirkstall Gardens.[7] A marked armed response vehicle was waiting on this road.[7] Police vehicles were said by witnesses to have boxed the car in, and witnesses claimed that Kaba ignored repeated orders to get out of the vehicle, and was trying to ram the Audi through the roadblock.[8] Armed officers exited their vehicles then approached the Audi on foot.[7] According to the IOPC, a police officer fired a single round at Kaba through the car's windscreen, striking him.[7][8] He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died of his injuries just after 12:00 am the following day.[9]

According to the IOPC, "no non-police firearms were found" either in the car or at the scene. Kaba's family called for a "homicide investigation" into his death and for information about whether any weapons were found.[10]

Lee Lawrence (left - whose mother was shot by the police inside their own home in 1985) consoles Chris Kaba's father and mother outside New Scotland Yard in central London.

Members of his family said that he would not have been shot dead if he were not black. Kaba's cousin said: "I've put it out there he wasn't perfect… but regardless of that nobody deserves to be killed by the police unless there is an imminent or direct threat to the public."[10] Charity group Inquest released a statement which read "dad-to-be Chris’ loved ones said they are worried his life was cut short due to his skin colour."[11]

In response to the shooting, a small crowd of about 40 protestors gathered outside Brixton police station on 8 September 2022, demanding justice for Kaba's death.[12] Further protests took place outside New Scotland Yard in which over 300 people, including former Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn, attended.[13][14] Journalist Sarah-Jane Mee mistook the protest for the gathering of people marking the death of the Queen; Sky News later issued an apology regarding this.[15]

On 21 September the family of the deceased viewed the police body-worn camera footage of the incident. Afterwards, Kaba's cousin said that they now wanted justice, but would take a step back from campaigning.[16]

On 20 September 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that it had authorised the charging of a Metropolitan Police ("Met") officer with murder in relation to the death.[17] The police officer, "NX121", appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on the morning of 21 September, and then at the Old Bailey in the afternoon of the same day.[18][19] He was granted bail with the conditions that he "lives at a named address, surrenders his passport and does not apply for international travel documents".[20] A plea and trial preparation hearing will take place on 1 December 2023; a preliminary date for the trial to begin has been set for 9 September 2024.[18]

In response to the charge, by the morning of 25 September up to 300 of the more than 2,500 Metropolitan Police officers authorised to carry firearms had returned their permits to do so over concerns about the implication of the decision to prosecute. By the afternoon of the same day, the Met said many of the officers had resumed their armed duties.[21]