The murder of Chris Kaba last September continues to provoke reactions.
The 24-year-old was shot to death by the police – even though he was unarmed. It was after a car chase that Kaba was stopped by two police cars and one of the policemen fired his service weapon through the car window.
Afterwards, a debate about institutional racism within the London police flared up, the officer who shot was suspended and a murder investigation has been ongoing until Thursday. The police in question were then prosecuted on suspicion of murder, according to several British media.
The prosecution has provoked strong reactions within the London police force, where over 100 officers have chosen to hand in their service weapons. They refuse to patrol armed and express a concern about being judged for decisions they make in the most difficult situations.
The trial against the accused police is expected to be held next year.
Can deploy military
In total, about 3,000 of London’s police officers carry weapons, which is estimated to be about a tenth of all the city’s police officers, according to the AP.
Now the Ministry of Defense has offered to send the military to support the London Police, but this will only happen in the event of a terror-related situation.
Deadly police shootings are rare in the UK. It is also very unusual for police officers who are on duty to be charged with murder or manslaughter.
Another high-profile fatal case was in 2021 where a police officer was sentenced to eight years in prison after shooting and kicking Dalian Atkinson in the head.