Sargeant Martyn Blake, a Metropolitan Police Officer, has been acquitted for the fatal shooting of, 24-year-old, Chris Kaba.
Kaba was being followed by police because the car he was driving was linked with a prior shooting. During the pursuit, Blake fired a shot that killed Kaba.
As reported by the Guardian, Blake’s defence was that the car was being used as a weapon and he had fired in self-defence, aiming to ‘incapacitate’ Kaba and protect his colleagues. The prosecution argued that Kaba had been stopped at a point where no further escape attempts were possible. This included any danger of running officers over.
Kaba’s family expressed their disappointment with the verdict, calling it a ‘failure’ for all those who are victims of police violence.
The Met Police acknowledged the strain incidents like this place on public trust ‘particularly in Black communities where trust in policing is already low’. Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley acknowledged that the use of fatal force raises significant concerns and said ‘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.’
Frank Ferguson, Head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: ‘We recognise that firearms officers operate under enormous pressure, but it is our responsibility to put cases before a jury that meet our test for prosecution, and we are satisfied that test was met in this case.’
Meanwhile, concerns are also growing among members of the police force. When Blake was charged, one hundred Met firearms officers turned in their permits. There were fears that more would follow suit if Blake had been convicted.
Sir Mark Rowley addressed these concerns saying, ‘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.’
The incident has sparked renewed discussions, as reported by the Justice Gap, about the treatment of Black communities by law enforcement bodies. In response to the verdict, Deborah Coles, Director of INQUEST, stated, ‘We know that Chris’ death is not an isolated case but part of systemic racism and stereotyping that equates Black men with dangerousness. For decades, Black men, have disproportionately been killed by the police.’
