Watchdog to consider whether race was a factor in fatal shooting of Chris Kaba

Investigators will consider whether race was a factor in the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba by an armed Met Police officer, the police watchdog has said.

Issuing an update on its inquiries, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it would "explore all of the circumstances” surrounding the death of the unarmed 24-year-old father-to-be, including whether "race influenced any actions taken by the police."

Investigators will look into whether the police officers involved knew Mr Kaba before the incident, and how they came to be aware of the vehicle he had been driving, the watchdog said.

IOPC Regional Director Sal Naseem said the watchdog has been in contact with Mr Kaba’s family regarding the investigation, which is expected to take between six and nine months.

Mr Kaba's family have been critical of the length of time the investigation is set to take.

A lawyer for the family, Daniel Machover, said: “Six to nine months for this investigation is unacceptably long and lacks urgency.

“It indicates insufficient resources to do the job."

Mr Naseem said: "We understand that people want answers quickly, but this is a complex investigation involving a significant amount of evidence.

"There are a number of inquiries to carry out over the coming weeks and months, including expert analysis, and it is important that we allow our investigation to run its course as we seek to establish all of the facts."

Mr Kaba, who was about to become a father, was killed on September 5 following a police pursuit of his car which ended in Streatham Hill, south London.

His Audi was hemmed in by two police vehicles in Kirkstall Gardens, a narrow residential street, and one round was fired from a police weapon.

The Metropolitan Police officer being probed has been suspended by the force.

An inquest into Mr Kaba’s death will be opened on October 4.