Met Police asks coroner not to resume inquest into Chris Kaba’s death as lawyers for his family say officer could have been acting ‘unreasonably’
The Metropolitan Police has argued against reopening an inquest into Chris Kaba's death, following the acquittal of marksman Martyn Blake on murder charges. However, Kaba's family contends that the officer could have acted "unreasonably" when he fatally shot the 24-year-old in September 2022. Coroner Dr Julian Morris will decide next week whether a full inquest should proceed. The case has already involved extensive scrutiny through an independent IOPC investigation and criminal trial, but Kaba's family believes unanswered questions remain about why he was shot.
The shooting occurred after police pursued Kaba's Audi 4×4, which had been used as a getaway vehicle in a gang-related incident in Brixton the previous night. When armed officers boxed in the car in Streatham, Kaba revved the vehicle back and forth, nearly dragging officers beneath the wheels. Officer Blake, armed with a semi-automatic rifle firing bullets at 800 metres per second, shot Kaba in the head fatally. The IOPC initially recommended gross misconduct charges against Blake but dropped the disciplinary probe in August, with the Met Police arguing that reopening an inquest would "confuse rather than illuminate" the circumstances.
- Police argue against reopening Chris Kaba inquest after marksman's acquittal
- Kaba's family wants full inquest, questioning if officer acted unreasonably
- Coroner to decide next week on inquest proceedings
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Chris Kaba, a 24-year-old, was shot dead by Metropolitan Police marksman Martyn Blake in Streatham in September 2022. The shooting occurred during a police pursuit after Kaba's vehicle was suspected of being used in a gang-related incident. When armed officers cornered the car, Blake fired a semi-automatic rifle, fatally shooting Kaba.
Blake was subsequently charged with murder but was acquitted at trial. An independent police investigation also considered but did not pursue gross misconduct charges against Blake. Throughout these processes, Kaba's family has maintained that significant questions about the shooting remain unanswered.
A full inquest, a formal investigation by a coroner into how someone died, may now be held. The Metropolitan Police argue that the matter has been sufficiently examined through an independent investigation and criminal trial. Kaba's family and their legal representatives believe that questions about the shooting warrant examination through an inquest.