Chris Kaba: No weapon found at scene of fatal police shootingon September 7, 2022 at 8:42 pm

The father of a man shot dead by police after a pursuit has accused the Met of being “totally racist”.

Chris Kaba died after the chase ended in Streatham Hill, south London, on Monday night.

The 23-year-old’s father Prosper Kaba claimed the shooting was “criminal” and said the family “want answers”.

The Met Police said it understood the incident was “extremely concerning to the local community”.

Mr Kaba, who was due to become a father, was a rapper known as Madix or Mad Itch and was part of the MOBO-nominated drill group 67.

Speaking to BBC London, Prosper Kaba said: “For us, it is totally racist and criminal and we want all the community, especially the minority community, to see this as a racism case.”

Mother Helen Nkama, speaking through tears, said: “My heart is broken. I am speechless.”

In a statement released through the charity Inquest, the family said they wanted “a homicide investigation into the death from the outset” and they do not want “any delay as has happened in other fatal shootings”.

“We also want the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) to tell us whether or not a weapon was found in any search of the vehicle that Chris was driving.

“We are devastated; we need answers and we need accountability. We are worried that if Chris had not been black, he would have been arrested on Monday evening and not had his life cut short,” the statement added.

Commander Alexis Boon, from the Met, said: “I understand that this incident is extremely concerning and I would like to reassure the community that the Met is co-operating fully with the IOPC as they carry out a thorough and independent investigation.”

The shooting is being investigated by the IOPC, as is standard in deaths following police contact.

The independent body, which oversees police complaints in England and Wales, confirmed one shot was fired from a police-issue firearm.

IOPC investigators said they were examining police footage and CCTV from the area, as well as carrying out house-to-house inquiries.

The pastor of a church which Mr Kaba attended as a child said there were discussions in the community about organising a vigil.

Reverend Siaa-Liane Mathurin, of New Park Road Baptist Church, said: “Chris came to the church when he was little. He was from round here, he lived just over the road.

“The community are scared. I’ve had young people come to me asking ‘why did they shoot him?’ There are families who didn’t send their kids to school today.”

A post-mortem examination, which will determine a provisional cause of death, is set to take place.