Chris Kaba Shooting: Braverman Orders Review of Armed Policing
- Home Secretary orders review of armed policing after fatal shooting of Chris Kaba.
- A Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with murder over the shooting.
- More than 100 armed officers have handed in their firearms since the murder charge was brought.
Suella Braverman has emphasized that armed police officers should not be apprehensive about facing legal consequences for carrying out their duties, following the charging of a marksman with murder.
In response to several London officers surrendering their firearms due to concerns about such charges, the Home Secretary has initiated a review of armed policing.
Last year, an unarmed individual named Chris Kaba, aged 24, tragically lost his life after being shot in South London. A Metropolitan Police officer appeared in court on Thursday in connection with the incident.
Ms. Braverman underscored the need to recognize that officers are often required to make split-second decisions and put their lives on the line to safeguard the public.
The Metropolitan Police acknowledged that the charging decision has created apprehension among many firearms officers.
One former armed response officer, Harry Tangye, conveyed to the BBC that he would relinquish his weapon if he were still serving in the force.
A source suggested that more than 100 officers have handed in what is known as a ticket permitting them to carry firearms.
Armed officers from other forces are being deployed as a contingency measure.
The force said its officers still make up the vast majority of armed police in the capital, but they were being supported by a limited number of firearms officers from neighboring forces.
Ms. Braverman said people “depend on our brave firearms officers to protect us”.
“In the interest of public safety, they have to make split-second decisions under extraordinary pressures.”
She said that officers have her “full backing”.
“I will do everything in my power to support them,” she added.
Mr. Kaba lost his life following a police operation in Streatham Hill on September 5, 2022.
During the operation, he was struck by a gunshot fired by a Metropolitan Police officer into the vehicle he was driving.
Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries in the hospital the next day.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Kaba, a construction worker, was just a few months away from becoming a father when this tragic incident occurred.
His untimely death led to a series of protests, particularly within London’s black communities, drawing attention to concerns surrounding the incident.
On Saturday, the Met said firearms officers were concerned that the Crown Prosecution Service bringing a charge against the officer “signals a shift in the way the decisions they take in the most challenging circumstances will be judged”.
“Several officers have decided to step back from armed duties while they consider their position. That number has increased over the past 48 hours,” the spokesperson said.
The Met added it has a “significant firearms capability and we continue to have armed officers deployed in communities across London as well as at other sites including Parliament, diplomatic premises, airports, etc”.
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