Chris Kaba's family call for justice
The 24-year old was shot dead by an armed officer in south London on Monday after a car chase.
The family of Chris Kaba, who was shot dead by armed Metropolitan Police in south London on Monday, have called for the officer involved to be "immediately suspended".
The appeal came as thousands of protesters gathered outside Scotland Yard yesterday (Sat 10th Sept) to demand justice for the 24-year-old, who was due to become a father within months.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a homicide investigation into the incident, but his relatives said they were "shocked" it took until Friday to announce the probe. The police watchdog has already said no gun was found after Monday's car chase on Streatham Hill.
In a statement issued on their behalf, Daniel Machover, head of civil litigation at solicitors Hickman & Rose, said: "The family now await the outcome of that investigation, but seek a charging decision in this case in weeks or a few months, not years."
Chris's cousin says the family also wants to see the bodycam footage and a timeline of how the investigation will proceed.
"We deserve the opportunity to look his killer in the eyes and ask why?"
Crowds marching through Whitehall to the Met's headquarters were led by members of Mr Kaba's family including his cousin, Jefferson Bosela, who said: "We deserve the opportunity to look his killer in the eyes and ask why? Why did you take him... after he spent so little time on earth... when he was sat there in the car, defenceless, unarmed, scared, terrified?"
Stormzy, Hackney Labour MP Diane Abbott and Streatham Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy were among others to turn up to the protest to show support for Mr Kaba's family.
The musician told demonstrators: "Chris has a mother, he has a family, he has brothers, he has friends, people who knew him in real life, who for them it's unbearable."
He said there was no way to "sugarcoat" what had happened to Mr Kaba and urged them to "have stamina" in their efforts to raise awareness of his death and the events surrounding it.
"What they've done is they've killed someone. We can't sugarcoat it," he added.
Protesters paid tribute to the 24-year-old, who died after a police chase that ended in Streatham Hill, and held up signs reading "Black Lives Matter", "Justice for Chris Kaba" and "Abolish the Met".
Speakers using a megaphone led chants of "no justice, no peace" and "police are the murderers".
The IOPC has previously confirmed that no gun was found in the Audi that Mr Kaba was driving.