Chris Kaba, who was shot dead by a Metropolitan Police officer in south London in September 2022, had been named as the gunman in a nightclub shooting days before his death. Kaba, a rapper associated with the UK drill group 67, was involved in a shooting at the Oval Space nightclub in Hackney on August 30, 2022, where he shot a man in both legs. His involvement was revealed after reporting restrictions were lifted following the trial of the officer who shot him, Martyn Blake.
In this footage released by the CPS Chris Kaba (blue arrow) is seen in a nightclub with a gun (pink circle)
Video Source: BBC
Kaba was unarmed when he was fatally shot by Blake during an armed vehicle stop. The police had been tracking the car Kaba was driving after it was linked to a shooting in Brixton the previous night. Blake claimed that he fired the shot fearing that one of his colleagues could be killed as Kaba tried to ram his way out of the police stop. Blake was cleared of murder by a jury, a verdict that Kaba’s family called “painful proof that our lives are not valued by the system.”
Kaba’s criminal background, including previous convictions for affray and possession of an imitation firearm, had not been revealed to the jury during Blake’s trial. After the trial, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy supported the release of details regarding Kaba’s gang affiliations, arguing that withholding this information could have given the public a misleading impression.
The case has sparked outrage among Kaba’s family and campaigners, with protests and calls for justice against police violence. Kaba’s family expressed their devastation at the verdict, while campaigners stressed that the acquittal reinforces fears of police impunity.
Bodycam video shows moments before Chris Kaba shooting
