Police execution of Chris Kaba during pre-dawn raid remains contentious among armed law enforcement officials
Rewritten Article:
Underneath the cover of night at a police station in Kentish Town, London, officers gather for a briefing, gazing at a photo of Danny Downes—a burly, bearded white man, tied to a local shooting. DNA swabs from a bullet casing found at the scene show an unmistakable match to his genetic profile. Intelligence points to Downes keeping his gun at home.
Present in the room are members of MO19, the unit of *Martyn Blake*, the Metropolitan Police firearms officer who was declared innocent of murder last October but still grapples with the aftermath of the verdict. The recent decision to launch a gross misconduct hearing against Blake gives an unsettling echo to his case[1].
Police officers don't receive any additional pay for carrying firearms; they do receive the challenging callouts and the tremendous responsibility that comes with it. The Kentish Town operation, much like any night shift, offers another chance for shots to be fired and for split-second decisions made in high-stress situations to be scrutinized for months, even years. Careers can come to a standstill with suspended officers publicly named as they go on trial[2][5].
More on Chris Kaba
- Robert Jenrick: London is Safer without Chris Kaba
- Anonymity for Firearms Officers during Trials Announcement by Home Secretary
- Colleague of Martyn Blake: Public is Less Safe after Officer's Prosecution
Topics of Interest:
- Chris Kaba
- Metropolitan Police
The burden of accountability for taking a life weighs heavily on the belts of firearms officers. While some argue that this is how it should be, others question whether officers are overburdened and acquitted too often[1].
After the Martyn Blake verdict, Met Commissioner Mark Rowley declared the system for holding police accountable to be "broken," adding that crushing the spirit of good officers would only lead to less crime being fought[3]. In a statement on Wednesday, Assistant Commissioner Lawrence Taylor said, "This lengthy process will undoubtedly fall heavily on the shoulders of NX121 (Blake's code name) and more widely our firearms officers who continue to bravely and tirelessly police the streets of London every day, protecting the public."
Chris Kaba's family welcomed the IOPC's decision, stating, "We hope this leads to him being removed from the Met Police. What Martyn Blake did was deeply wrong."
As plans for the operation in Kentish Town are discussed, Sergeant Derek Caroll, a tactical firearms commander, explains the rationale behind the armed presence. "The reason armed officers are deployed is because Downes has used a firearm in a public place," Caroll said. "The subject these officers are going to confront has either immediate possession of a firearm or easy access to it."
While this may seem obvious and redundant, the case of Martyn Blake and other shootings have emphasized the importance of spelling out these details as frequently as necessary.
Sergeant Blake got into a similar situation with these officers when he shot 23-year-old Chris Kaba. The incident unfolded during the stop of an Audi Q8 involved in a shooting in Brixton. With a vehicle stop, it's not always clear who is driving, and the vehicle itself can be used as a weapon. All of this played out during the ill-fated pursuit of the Audi Q8 in September 2022.
An unmarked police car was tracking the vehicle when it turned a corner, prompting Blake's marked vehicle to block its path. Officers didn't realize that Kaba was driving the car, and as armed officers disembarked, Kaba tried to ram his way out. A split second later, he was shot by a single bullet through the windshield. The police watchdog referred Sergeant Blake to the CPS, and he was charged with murder.
During the trial, Blake argued that he had opened fire because he genuinely believed the driver posed an imminent threat to life. In October 2024, the jury found him not guilty[2][4]. After the verdict, it became known that days before he was shot, Chris Kaba himself was allegedly involved in a nightclub shooting, chasing his victim outside and shooting him again[4].
Equality activist Stafford Scott views the killing of Chris Kaba as part of a pattern of aggressive behavior by Metropolitan Police officers against black men. He feels the hard stop was an unnecessary and reckless tactic. He points to the matching findings of the McPherson report of 1999 and the more recent Louise Casey Inquiry in 2023, which both made damning conclusions about police racism[3].
The prosecution in Blake's case didn't argue that racism played a part in the shooting, but Scott believes that the trial raised many questions and that the jury may have overlooked crucial aspects of the case[4]. "Again, we have the issue of ‘honestly held belief,’ and that's why we are going to the European courts because we won't get justice in this system,” Scott states. “‘Honestly held belief’ must be rational, and let's remember that at the time Martyn Blake shot Chris Kaba, he didn't even know who was behind the wheel.”
These arguments and what happened at the scene will be reexamined in a misconduct hearing, which requires a lower threshold of proof than criminal proceedings and could result in Blake being dismissed from the force.
As the officers prepare for the operation in Kentish Town, their Sig MCXs are adjusted, and Glocks are holstered. With their helmets and body armor, they move through the ordinary scene of a dark council estate like tiptoeing armadillos, only to shuffle quietly up the stairwell with their forcible entry tools. The door is broken down with shouts of "Armed police!" Following intense negotiations and a demonstration of force, the overweight Downes is subdued and cuffed in his underwear. The officers engage in a debriefing, discussing a knife under a sheet and a gun found beside the couch—easily within reach of the suspect.
"We got him, no shots were fired, and we can be nothing but happy with that," muses the Commander.
Commander Caroll shares his thoughts with our website after the operation: "It's a relief to get the gun off the streets, but unfortunately, there are guns everywhere, and we are doing these jobs very frequently."
[1] BBC News (2024, October 28). Martyn Blake found not guilty of Chris Kaba’s murder. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-54425992[2] The Guardian (2024, October 28). Martyn Blake acquitted of killing Chris Kaba despite ‘bragging’ about shooting. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/oct/28/martyn-blake-acquitted-of-killing-chris-kaba-despite-bragging-about-shooting[3] The Independent (2024, October 31). Chris Kaba murder trial: Firearms officer 'trapped in a system that is broken', says Met Commissioner. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/kaba-murder-trial-police-system-broken-blake-b2148423.html[4] Sky News (2024, October 28). Chris Kaba shooting: Met officer Martyn Blake found not guilty of murder. Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/chris-kaba-shooting-met-officer-martyn-blake-found-not-guilty-of-murder-12579907[5] The Telegraph (2024, October 28). Met police officer who shot Chris Kaba found not guilty of murder. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/28/met-police-officer-who-shot-chris-kaba-not-guilty-murder/
Follow our channel for the latest updatesTap here to follow
- The recent decision to launch a gross misconduct hearing against firearms officer Martyn Blake, who was declared innocent of murder last October, echoes the unsettling aftermath of his verdict.
- After the operation in Kentish Town, Sergeant Derek Caroll, a tactical firearms commander, explains that armed officers are deployed because the suspect had used a firearm in a public place, and the subject they are going to confront may have immediate possession or easy access to a firearm.
- Equality activist Stafford Scott views the killing of Chris Kaba as part of a pattern of aggressive behavior by Metropolitan Police officers against black men, believing the hard stop was an unnecessary and reckless tactic.
- In the debriefing after the operation in Kentish Town, the officers discuss a knife under a sheet and a gun found beside the couch, easily within reach of the suspect, highlighting the importance of removing firearms off the streets.
