A police officer, Martyn Blake, was found not guilty of murdering Chris Kaba. The incident took place in Streatham, London, where Blake shot Kaba through the front windscreen of a car. The jury deliberated for three hours before delivering the verdict. Blake showed relief upon hearing the verdict, while Kaba’s family remained silent. The car in which Kaba was shot had been involved in a previous shooting and was cornered by police cars. Blake believed his colleagues were in danger and fired at the car to stop it. Other officers testified that they would have done the same in that situation. Prosecutors argued that Blake had misjudged the situation, but his defense presented glowing testimonials from colleagues. The Independent Office for Police Conduct will now decide if Blake should face disciplinary action. This case has raised concerns about the accountability of firearms officers in fatal shootings. Despite this being Blake’s first time firing at a person, he believed being a police marksman was the best job. In England and Wales, there were 18,395 police firearms operations in the year leading to March 2023, with three resulting in fatalities. The outcome of this case will have implications on how firearms officers are trained and held accountable in the future.
