Family of Chris Kaba want action six months on from police shooting

Relatives of a man who was shot dead by police six months ago say they have already waited too long for answers over who is responsible and called  for an urgent decision on criminal charges in the case.

Chris Kaba, 24, died after being shot by a Metropolitan Police firearms officer  in Kirkstall Gardens, Streatham Hill, London,  shortly after 10pm on September 5.

The police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is carrying out a murder investigation.

Mr Kaba’s mother Helen Lumuanganu said: “We have waited for six months already for the decision. We don’t want to wait for another six months.

“This, for us, is a painful reminder of something that will never change. Enough is enough.”

The family, who say they are still waiting for answers and action,  believe the firearms officer involved in the shooting has been interviewed under caution.

They  want an urgent decision on whether the police involved in the incident will be charged  and they have also described the updates they have received as having “not been sufficiently frequent or meaningful”.

After his Audi drove down Kirkstall Gardens he was blocked by a marked police vehicle and there was “contact” between the two cars, the court heard, before a marksman fired a single shot through the windscreen, hitting Mr Kaba in the head.

In a joint statement on Friday, Mr Kaba’s family said: “For the past six months our primary questions as a family have been: why did this happen and who will be held accountable?

“We were told that we would have to wait six to nine months before these questions could begin to be answered. For a grieving family, already that was too long. We are still waiting.”

They added: “As a family we urge the IOPC to take immediate action to progress advice on criminal charges, and the Crown Prosecution Service to provide this advice without any further delay.

“We must never accept a young unarmed Black man being shot by police on the streets of London as normal. This should never have happened. It must never happen again.

The IOPC said it is “confident” that its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting  will end  within the six to nine month timeframe that it originally gave.

A spokesman said: “We are awaiting an external report which we require in order to conclude our investigation, finalise our report and then decide whether or not to refer a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision.

“We continue to provide regular updates to representatives for the Kaba family in line with IOPC policy.”