Armed police fury over gun colleague suspended for shooting death

Dozens of armed police are threatening to hand in their weapons in protest at the suspension of an officer who shot dead an unarmed black man.

Father-to-be Chris Kaba, 24, was killed on september 5 following a police pursuit of his car in streatham Hill, south London. on Monday, the Met Police said it had suspended the officer who fired the fatal shot – a decision that was welcomed by Mr Kaba’s family.

But it has sparked outrage among firearms officers, with some threatening to step back from the role after the Queen’s funeral next Monday.

A source told The Daily Telegraph: ‘There is real anger in the ranks about this. Firearms officers do not get any extra money to carry out their role. They are all volunteers and they are increasingly feeling, “what is the point of doing this if our bosses do not have our backs?”

‘There is no protocol requiring an officer to be suspended following a fatal shooting. It has not happened in other cases so the question is, why now? This is a deci

‘Bosses do not have our backs’

sion that has been taken to placate public anger, pure and simple.’

Yesterday Mr Kaba’s distraught family revealed that the car which sparked the chase was not registered in his name and suggested that armed officers may have mistaken the victim for the vehicle owner.

His cousin Jefferson Bosela told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘We need to know the difference between that – whether they were following Chris or the suspected owner of the car.’

she added that Mr Kaba’s mother, Helen nkama, was ‘absolutely gutted’, saying: ‘she just doesn’t know why this happened. she is questioning God, asking “what did I do so wrong for this to befall me?” she is just in pain, inconsolable.’

Assistant commissioner Amanda Pearson said: ‘[officers] know that on the rare occasions when they discharge their weapons, they will face intense scrutiny. We don’t underestimate the significant impact on the officer and colleagues.’

she added the suspension will not determine the outcome of an Independent office for Police Conduct probe into the shooting and said the Met will ‘continue to co-operate fully’ with the watchdog.