'SHOTS FIRED'
Moment Chris Kaba rams police car seconds before he’s shot dead by Met marksman who was cleared of murder
Kaba, 24, was shot in the head through the windscreen of his Audi
THIS is the moment Chris Kaba rams into a police car seconds before he was shot dead by a Met marksman.
Kaba, 24, was shot in the head through the windscreen of his Audi by Martyn Blake during a police stop in Streatham, South London.
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Blake was today cleared of his murder at the Old Bailey.
Bodycam footage from officers and dashcam video from cops' vehicles - released for the first time today - has shown the moments leading up to the fatal shot.
The footage shows officers tailing the Audi along residential streets before the tactical stop in Kirkstall Gardens on the night of September 5, 2022.
Hemmed in with police either side of his Audi, Kaba is then seen reversing into one car before trying to ram his way between a Tesla and police vehicle.
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There is a screeching sound of wheel-spinning and the Audi engine revving, before the sound of a gunshot is heard.
Bodycam footage from Blake, referred to as NX121, shows him racing out the backseat of a police car, before rounding a parked car and standing in front of Kaba's Audi as he tried to ram his way out.
Met Commissioner Mark Rowley: 'I worry about lack of support officers face'
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The jury system is the cornerstone of British justice and today, after two weeks of evidence, 12 men and women have cleared Sgt Martyn Blake of murder.
“Over the past two years Sgt Blake has paid a huge personal and professional sacrifice. This has been an incredibly difficult time for him and his family and he has acted with professionalism and dignity throughout.
“This case has had an enormous impact on many. Chris Kaba’s family and friends continue to grieve the loss of a loved one and today will be tremendously difficult for them.
“Today’s verdict is significant. No firearms officer sets out on duty intent on ending a life. Their sole purpose is the complete opposite – the protection and preservation of life.
“Throughout the trial the jury heard significant detail about the scenes facing Sgt Blake that night. They were told the car Mr Kaba was driving had been linked to a reported shooting the night before, the suspects were still at large, and no gun had been recovered.
“Armed officers bravely intervened not knowing the risks they were about to face. The court heard that Mr Kaba tried to evade police, ramming his vehicle into others around him.
“Sgt Blake made a split-second decision on what he believed was necessary to protect his colleagues and to protect London. The jury decided that was an honestly held belief and the force used was reasonable.
“Any fatal use of force understandably prompts huge concern among communities, particularly in Black communities where trust in policing is low. There remains much for us to do to strengthen confidence in our service, and we know incidents like this place further strain on already challenged relationships.
“No police officer is above the law, but we have been clear the system holding police to account is broken. I worry about the lack of support officers face for doing their best, but most of all I worry for the public. The more we crush the spirit of good officers, the less they can fight crime. That risks London becoming less safe. "
His colleagues are seen attempting to smash the windows of the Audi in a bid to remove him from the car.
Bodycam from one officer shows them approach the passenger side of the Audi, before shining a light into the window towards Kaba.
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Kaba then pulls away and rams into the gap between the police car and a parked Tesla.
A gunshot is then head, before the officers shout: "Shots fired."
One officer can also be heard repeatedly asking: "Where from?"
Kaba died of a single gunshot wound shortly after midnight on September 6, 2022.
Met firearms officer Blake, 40, was unanimously acquitted of murder by an Old Bailey jury today.
The prosecution suggested Blake may have been “angry, frustrated and annoyed” because Kaba refused to comply with police.
But Blake told jurors he fired as he feared a colleague would be killed.
The jury deliberated for three hours before clearing Mr Blake.
The family of Chris Kaba said they have been left with "the deep pain of injustice"; after Mr Blake was cleared of murder.
A statement added: "Today, we are devastated. The not guilty verdict leaves us with the deep pain of injustice adding to the unbearable sorrow we have felt since Chris was killed.
"No family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced. Chris was stolen from us, and this decision shows his life — and many others like him — does not matter to the system. Our son deserved better.
"The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn’t just a failure for our family, but for all those affected by police violence.
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“Despite this verdict, we won’t be silenced. We are deeply grateful to everyone who stood by us and fought for justice.
"We will continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change. Chris’ life mattered, and nothing can take that away from us."
Full Independent Office for Police Conduct statement
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “Firstly, we want to acknowledge Chris Kaba's family and friends today as they continue to grieve his death more than two years on.
"Our thoughts and sympathies remain with them and everyone else who has been affected.
“The past few weeks must have been incredibly difficult and distressing for Chris’s family who have sat through the trial, listened to all the evidence and witnessed his final moments played out in court.
“We also recognise the impact that this trial has had on the officer involved, as well as his firearms colleagues and the wider policing community.
“Today a jury, having considered all the evidence, has acquitted Police Sergeant Martyn Blake of murder.
“We appreciate this trial will have been of significant public interest, and particularly so within our Black communities.
“The IOPC’s role is to independently investigate the circumstances surrounding a fatal police shooting, including the decision to use lethal force.
"Under the law, firearms officers can use lethal force, however it must be reasonable in the circumstances the officer honestly believed them to be.
“The decisions to criminally investigate Sergeant Blake, and then to refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), followed careful consideration of a significant amount of evidence gathered during our independent investigation and by applying the relevant legal tests which govern our work.
“Following the CPS decision to charge Martyn Blake with murder, the matter has now been heard in open court and the officer has accounted for his actions before a jury.
“Ultimately it is that jury’s decision, having carefully considered all the evidence, to determine guilt or innocence and we respect that decision and thank them for their consideration.
“Armed policing plays a crucial part in protecting our communities and keeping the public safe from danger.
"Firearms officers can, and do, find themselves in extremely dangerous and volatile situations where they are forced to make difficult and quick decisions under intense pressure.
“It’s important to recognise that fatal police shootings are rare, particularly in relation to the volume of incidents firearms officers are called to attend.
"And it is rarer still that they result in criminal or misconduct proceedings for the officer who fired the fatal shot.
“Over the past 10 years the IOPC – or our predecessor the IPCC - has undertaken 26 investigations into fatal police shootings. In one other case we referred a file of evidence to the CPS to consider a criminal charge for the officer who fired the shot.”
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