Official announcements from the Metropolitan Police or related legal documents

Officer Who Shot Unarmed Chris Kaba Through Windshield Cleared of Murder

Oct 21, 2024, 03:36 PM

Metropolitan Police firearms officer, 40-year-old Martyn Blake, previously known as NX121, has been cleared of the murder of unarmed 24-year-old Chris Kaba, who was fatally shot in Streatham, south-east London, on September 5, 2022. The verdict was delivered at the Old Bailey by a jury of nine men and three women after approximately four hours of deliberation. Blake fired a single shot through the windscreen of Kaba's car during a police stop, believing that Kaba was attempting to ram his vehicle into a police car and that he or his colleagues were in imminent danger. Despite being acquitted, Blake may still face a gross misconduct hearing that could result in his dismissal from the force. The family of Chris Kaba expressed devastation at the verdict.