Sgt Martyn Blake Avoids Misconduct Hearing Over Chris Kaba Fatal Shooting

Sgt Martyn Blake, the Metropolitan Police officer who fatally shot Chris Kaba, may avoid a gross misconduct hearing following a review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Mr Kaba, 24, was killed in Streatham Hill, south London, in September 2022 after his car was stopped by armed officers.

The IOPC had previously determined that Sgt Blake should face a gross misconduct hearing, finding that he had a case to answer for gross misconduct. However, following submissions from Sgt Blake, the watchdog is now reconsidering this decision, confirming an update will be provided “in due course.”

Sgt Blake is currently suspended from duty. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced in December that he would be charged with murder. He is scheduled to appear at the Old Bailey in September for a plea hearing.

Mr Kaba was driving an Audi linked to an earlier firearms incident when he was hemmed in by two police cars. He was shot through the driver's side of the windscreen. A subsequent post-mortem examination found he died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

The Kaba family has expressed their dismay at the potential reversal of the misconduct decision. Their legal team stated that the family believes accountability for Chris’s death remains elusive within the police disciplinary system.