A homicide investigation into the death of rapper Chris Kaba has been launched by the Independent Office For Police Conduct (IOPC).
Kaba, 24, who was also known as “Mad Itch” in the London drill group 67, was fatally wounded by a single shot fired by a Met Police officer on September 5 at around 10pm in a residential street in Streatham, London.
A statement released by the IOPC reads [via the Evening Standard]: “Following our review of the evidence gathered so far, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a homicide investigation into Mr Kaba’s death.”
Two police cars followed Kaba down Kirkstall Gardens before one round was fired from a police weapon.
The IOPC continued in its statement that Kaba died after a single shot was fired through the driver’s side of the windscreen of the car by an officer from a specialist firearms command. The Met officer in question has been suspended from duty.
No family should have to go through the pain Chris Kaba’s family have suffered following his killing last week.
My thoughts are with them as they fight for justice and accountability for his death. https://t.co/yHg5BfUG73
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 12, 2022
The fatal shooting happened while the police were trying to “stop and contain” the vehicle that Kaba was driving, which the IOPC say was not registered under Kaba’s name. The vehicle had been flagged by an automatic number plate as potentially being linked to a firearms offence.
“Our investigation team is continuing to gather and review a large amount of evidence, however as this is now a criminal investigation, we are limited in what further information we can provide,” the statement from the IOPC continued.
“The launch of a criminal investigation does not mean that criminal charges will necessarily follow.
“We have notified Mr Kaba’s family of this latest development. We continue to ask that people avoid speculating about this incident out of respect for Mr Kaba’s family and for everyone else affected.”
Kaba’s family joined protestors who took to the streets of London on Saturday (September 10) to demand “justice for Chris Kaba”. Among the protesters was Stormzy, who addressed the crowd and said the “only reason” he was taking to the microphone was because he understood and felt that he should use the platform that his music career has given him to advocate for change.
Kaba, who was previously nominated for a MOBO award with 67 in 2016, was months away from getting married and also had a baby on the way.
#Stormzy showed up for #ChrisKaba his family, and community like speakers Diane Abbott & Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Chris's brother and cousin campaigners.
'No mother should bury their child murdered by police #ChrisKaba#Justice4ChrisKaba #EnoughIsEnough #BLM #SayHisName #RIP pic.twitter.com/wmB2XB58gk— NabeelaAkh (@NabeelaAkh) September 10, 2022
Stormzy said at the protest: “Someone said before I got up here something that I want to reiterate, everyone here today, I just encourage everyone to have stamina. I know it’s a very difficult thing to say because no one should have the stamina to go on a journey like this to get justice or to get answers, but when these people do these things, they get away with it.”
He urged protestors to keep putting pressure on the authorities, saying: “What happens is, we do this once, and we get tired. We tweet, and we get tired. We do it for a week, we do it for two weeks, we do it for a month, and they know we get tired.
“I just encourage everyone, at whatever capacity, do whatever you can do to help. But also have the stamina to keep going because they have killed someone, that’s murder. Just keep going because the family needs you.”