What happened to Chris Kaba?

Suspension of police officer who fired fatal shot branded ‘far too little, far too late’

Large group of demonstrators march through London carrying signs reading ‘Justice for Chris’ and ‘Black Lives Matter’
Protesters in central London on Saturday demonstrating against the killing of Chris Kaba
(Image credit: Guy Smallman/Getty Images)

A Metropolitan Police officer has been suspended from frontline duties after fatally shooting an unarmed black man last week.

Police officers pursued the vehicle, which was “subsequently cornered by two police cars” in Streatham Hill, said HuffPost. A specialist firearms officer then fired a single shot through the driver’s side of the windscreen.

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The IOPC said that CPR was “immediately administered” and ambulance service support quickly requested. Kaba, who was 24, died later that night in hospital.

In a statement last week, his family said: “We are devastated; we need answers and we need accountability.

“We are worried that if Chris had not been Black, he would have been arrested on Monday evening and not had his life cut short.”

It’s since become known that Kaba was expecting a child with his fiancée, Karima Waite, who described the rapper as a “very kind, loving and caring young man”, said South London Press.

The IOPC’s investigation “entered a new phase” four days after Kaba’s death, when it was announced that a homicide investigation had been opened.

Kaba’s death “has shaken people across the UK”, said HuffPost. Metro reported that “hundreds of protesters” gathered in central London last weekend “to express fury” at the shooting.

At a vigil last night, the atmosphere was “tense”, with many in attendance saying that the officer’s suspension “is far too little, far too late”, said the BBC.

Assistant Commissioner Amanda Pearson said that the decision to suspend the firearms officer “does not determine the outcome of the IOPC’s investigation”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted that he welcomed the decision, and said he is in regular contact with the police watchdog and the Met’s new commissioner, Mark Rowley.

Julia O'Driscoll is the engagement editor. She covers UK and world news, as well as writing lifestyle and travel features. She regularly appears on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast, and hosted The Week's short-form documentary podcast, “The Overview”. Julia was previously the content and social media editor at sustainability consultancy Eco-Age, where she interviewed prominent voices in sustainable fashion and climate movements. She has a master's in liberal arts from Bristol University, and spent a year studying at Charles University in Prague.