Chris Kaba: Met Police shooting case referred to CPS

The police watchdog has referred the case of an unarmed black man shot dead by an officer to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Father-to-be Chris Kaba, 24, was shot by a Met Police officer through the windscreen of a car in Streatham Hill, south London, on 5 September last year.

The family told the BBC that it welcomed the decision but wanted the officer to face criminal charges.

The Met Police marksman who fired the fatal shot was suspended.

In a joint statement, the family said: "Our family, alongside the community who have supported us over the past seven months, have been consistent in our call for accountability.

"This step forward is necessary and welcome. We urge the CPS to do their bit and provide their advice to the The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) urgently."

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said the referral does not necessarily mean that criminal charges would follow.

She added: "During the investigation, the officer was advised they were under criminal investigation for murder and following the conclusion of our investigation we have referred a file of evidence to the CPS to determine whether to charge the officer.

"It is now for the CPS to decide, applying the tests in the Code for Crown Prosecutors, whether or not to prosecute the officer."

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "Chris had his whole life ahead of him and his death has had a huge impact on Londoners, and in particular black Londoners, with anger, pain and fear felt across communities, along with a desire for change and justice.

"It was vital that the IOPC fully investigated all the evidence before making a decision, and now that they have referred this case to the CPS, I hope it will be considered as swiftly as possible."

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