Man shot dead by police was unarmed, reveals watchdog

THE police watchdog has confirmed the man shot dead this week by police in south London was not armed.

The announcement from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) came after 24-year-old Chris Kaba’s family demanded a murder investigation is launched without delay.

The watchdog said yesterday a search of the scene finished and “no non-police issue firearm has been recovered from the vehicle or the scene”.

Mr Kaba died when armed police challenged him following a car chase in Lambeth on Monday evening. The IOPC said armed police began pursuing Mr Kaba after his vehicle triggered an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) indicating that the vehicle had been involved in a firearms incident.

Mr Kaba was hit with a single shot after police boxed in the car in a residential road in Streatham Hill. His death is being investigated by the IOPC.

“We understand at this stage that police officers in an armed response vehicle attempted to stop the vehicle Mr Kaba was in, following the activation of an automatic number plate recognition camera which indicated the vehicle was linked to a firearms incident in the previous days,” the IOPC said.

“We can confirm that around 10pm, as armed officers attempted to stop and contain the vehicle, a single shot was discharged by a police officer.

“CPR was administered by officers at the scene and support was requested from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance. Mr Kaba sadly died in hospital later that night.”

The family of Mr Kaba, whose girlfriend was expecting a baby in January, have demanded a criminal investigation and have claimed he would not have been shot were he not black.

IOPC regional director Sal Naseem said the police watchdog is committed to carrying out a thorough and comprehensive investigation to establish all of he facts surrounding the shooting.

London mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “It’s right that the IOPC is undertaking an investigation into the shooting of Chris Kaba, who we now have confirmation was unarmed.

“The IOPC is fully aware of the community concern and the importance of transparency.”