By Gabriel Princewill-
The Met Police are reviewing body cam footage of the moments that led to the killing of 24-year-old Chris Kaba, the IOPC today revealed.
Rapper, Chris Kaba, a soon-to-be father from Wembley, Northwest London, died following a chase with armed officers ending in Streatham Hill, south London, on Monday night.
Today, a spokesperson for the IOPC told The Eye Of Media.Com that no information explaining why cops felt compelled to shoot Kaba, who was later found to have been unarmed, can be provided ”until the IOPC has completed its investigation. This in order to avoid any contradiction between what the police say and what the IOPC conclude.
He added :”the family have been given a family liaison officer and will be regularly updated with information as news of the investigation unfolds”.
An immediate explanation presenting a justification for killing an unarmed man would appear to be imperative and in the public interest, with any subsequent contradiction between an account given by the police and what the IOPC find also a useful part of the process.
However, the IOPC says the current process is part of the mandatory obligations of the watchdog when investigating police killings of civilians.
The Met has officially offered their “sincere condolences” to Mr Kaba’s family and friends, and said they are “cooperating fully with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation”.
Investigators confirmed officers tried to stop the car Mr Kaba was in on Monday night after an ANPR camera indicated it was linked to a recent firearms incident.
Asked to divulge details of the firearm incident in which Kaba was allegedly involved, the spokesperson added: ”we will have to first establish full details of that incident. ”We don’t know whether he was driving the car on that occasion, or if somebody else was driving his car. We have to examine all the evidence in this case”.
First aid and CPR was “immediately administered” by officers at the scene, investigators said, and paramedics and the air ambulance were called out, but Mr Kaba died in hospital later that night.
No firearm has been recovered from the vehicle or the surrounding area.
In a statement from his family, via the charity Inquest, they said: “[We] seek a homicide investigation into his death from the outset.
“We have told the (IOPC) of that demand and that we do not want any delay as has happened in other fatal shootings – otherwise we and the wider public can have no confidence that the police will be held to account.
“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.”
The family also issued a “desperate appeal” for witnesses before, during and after the shooting to come forward to the IOPC or their solicitors Hickman and Rose.
Deborah Coles, Inquest director: “When the police kill, they must be held accountable to the rule of law.
“Inquest fully supports the family’s call for this to be a criminal investigation from the outset.
“It is essential that fatal use of force by police is examined with this high level of scrutiny.
“There is rightly anger and frustration at yet another black man whose life has been cut short after the use of lethal force by police.
“Too often we see misinformation and demonisation of those who die.
“We hope this is not repeated here, as family and friends mourn the loss of a loved one.”
Sal Naseem, IOPC regional director on Wednesday said a “thorough and comprehensive investigation” was underway.
He said: “Our heartfelt sympathies remain with Mr Kaba’s family and friends, and everyone affected by this tragic incident.
“We recognise there is community concern, and we appreciate questions will remain around how Mr Kaba tragically ended up being fatally shot following an attempted vehicle stop.
“We are working hard to piece together all of the circumstances surrounding this incident and we want to reassure the community these questions will be answered in due course.
“However, it will take some time before our investigation is able to uncover all of the facts.
“Anyone with information that may be useful is asked to contact the IOPC by phoning 0300 303 0779 or by emailing witness@policeconduct.gov.uk – referencing “Streatham Hill”.
Met Police commander Alex Boon said: “I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the man who died.
“I recognise the devastating and lasting impact this tragic incident will have on them.
“I understand this incident is extremely concerning and I would like to reassure the community that the Met is cooperating fully with the IOPC as they carry out a thorough and independent investigation.
“I also recognise that the family and community want answers about what happened.
“I know the IOPC investigators are working hard to establish the facts but also need some time and space to be able to progress their enquiries.”
He added: “We have met with key partners and community members and will continue to actively work together to engage with, and to reassure the public, at this difficult time.”
The Law
Police are governed by the same law as other citizens, and subject to the Criminal Law Act 1967 , which states: “A person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime.”
The question whether lethal force used is reasonable and justifiable in the circumstances is determined by an objective assessment of the circumstances as the officer reasonably perceived them to be. This can be very subjective in many cases and depends on the specific facts of each case.
The provision of reasonable defence was successfully used to absolve the police of culpability in the tragic case of Jean Charles De Menezes at Stockwell tube station in 2005 and the verdict of lawful killing in the inquest into the death of Mark Duggan in 2011. In both cases the police erroneously believed their man to have been armed with a gun at the time of the killing but escaped on the value judgement grounds of reasonable suspicion.
The police are typically bound by laws governing the right to life contained in the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights. This means they must demonstrate reasonable grounds to have felt a killing was absolutely necessarily. In most cases, the police are able to do so successfully.