Chris Kaba: Met officer who shot unarmed Black man dead after pursuit could face criminal charges

The family of Mr Kaba - whose death sparked protests - have welcomed the move and “hope CPS advise in favour of a prosecution”

A Met officer who fatally shot unarmed black man Chris Kaba following a car chase could be charged following an investigation by the police watchdog.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) on Thursday said it had passed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for consideration.

Mr Kaba, 24, who had been due to become a father, was killed after being hit by a single gunshot fired by an armed officer on 5 September 2022 in Streatham Hill, south London.

Chris Kaba was shot by armed officers from the Metropolitan Police at Kirkstall Gardens, Streatham Hill, south London (PA Media)

The officer in question was subsequently suspended and told by the IOPC that they were under criminal investigation for murder.

However, an IOPC referral to the CPS does not necessarily mean that the officer will be charged.

Mr Kaba’s family welcomed the move and urged the CPS to prosecute the officer. "This step forward is necessary and welcome,” the family said in a statement issued through the Inquest charity.

“We urge the Crown Prosecution Service to do their bit and provide their advice to the IOPC urgently.”

The statement added: "We very much hope that the CPS advise in favour of a prosecution and that the truth will emerge, without delay, through criminal proceedings. Our family and community cannot continue waiting for answers."

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said investigators had been working hard to complete the probe within the six-to-nine-month deadline.

The police shooting of Mr Kaba has sparked protests by campaigners (Left Unity/PA) (PA Media)

She said: “It is now for the CPS to decide, applying the tests in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, whether or not to prosecute the officer."

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said: "My thoughts are with Chris Kaba’s family, friends and loved ones today.

“Chris had his whole life ahead of him and his death has had a huge impact on Londoners, and in particular black Londoners, with anger, pain and fear felt across communities, along with a desire for change and justice.

"It was vital that the IOPC fully investigated all the evidence before making a decision, and now that they have referred this case to the CPS, I hope it will be considered as swiftly as possible."

A police cordon at the scene in Kirkstall Gardens, Streatham Hill, south London (PA Wire)

The IOPC said armed officers had pursued Mr Kaba, who was a rapper, after an automatic number plate recognition camera indicated the vehicle was linked to a firearms incident in the previous days.

An inquest opening in October heard Mr Kaba was blocked by a marked police vehicle while driving an Audi and there was "contact" between the two cars before a marksman fired a single shot through the windscreen, hitting him in the head.

Mr Kaba was taken to hospital, but died soon after midnight on 6 September. A provisional cause of death was given as a "gunshot wound to the head".