On the night of Chris Kaba’s death in September 2022, former Metropolitan Police officer Martyn Blake fatally shot the unarmed young man during a vehicle stop in Streatham. A former colleague of Blake, who was at the scene shortly after the shooting, recently spoke with the BBC, stating that Blake “presented no evidence of wrongdoing” and adhered to his training and the law.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has defended its decision to prosecute Blake, explaining that the verdict came after careful evaluation of all evidence. Following the jury’s decision, approximately 150 people gathered for a vigil outside the Old Bailey to honor Kaba, with his cousin, Sheeda Queen, expressing the family’s devastation. She emphasized the broader implications of the verdict, stating, “The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn’t just a failure for our family but for all those affected by police violence.”
Blake’s anonymous former colleague, who has since left the force, argued on the BBC’s Today program that a system akin to military court martials might be more appropriate for cases like this. He described Blake as “the most professional” officer and stressed that Blake should never have been placed in this difficult situation. The former officer recounted that Blake was carrying out his duties on behalf of the state, having been trained to handle dangerous situations.
The incident began as Kaba was followed and stopped by police due to his vehicle being linked to an earlier shooting. After being boxed in, Kaba attempted to escape by moving his car back and forth. According to Blake, he feared for the lives of his colleagues and fired to prevent further harm. Kaba was struck by a single bullet to the forehead.
The former officer contended that while Kaba may not have had a firearm, the car he was in could still pose a “lethal threat” to the police involved. He expressed concern about jurors not fully grasping the pressures surrounding police encounters and suggested that a specialized panel of experts could better evaluate police conduct in such cases.
Referring to the jury’s decision, he remarked, “There was an acceptance that the right thing had happened… there are no winners in this situation.” Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader hopeful Robert Jenrick described Blake as a “hero” who acted out of fear for his life, criticizing the prosecution as misguided. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood affirmed the importance of respecting the legal process while recognizing the need for improved trust between police and black communities. She underscored the challenges faced by firearms officers and the need to strengthen confidence in law enforcement.
