A police marksman has apologised for the “distress” caused to the family of Chris Kaba but insists the shooting was “lawful, proportionate and necessary”, a court heard.
Metropolitan Police firearms officer Martyn Blake said he was “truly sorry” for the grieving family’s enormous distress in a statement read to the Old Bailey on Thursday.
Blake, 40, denies murdering Mr Kaba, 24, who was shot in the head through the windscreen of an Audi car during a police stop in Streatham, south London.
Blake described his actions as “lawful and appropriate in the circumstances” as he feared that “one or many” of his colleagues could have been killed, in statements he made as the Met and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) began investigating the 5 September 2022 shooting.
He said: “Although I have tried to pay little attention to media reports of this (event), I am well aware of the enormous distress that the death of Mr Kaba has caused to his family.
“I am truly sorry that this is the case. It is absolutely right that they should grieve and want an explanation and want answers.”
Moments before the shooting, Mr Kaba had rammed a police car and reversed into one behind during a police stop as armed officers surrounded the SUV on foot.
Police had been looking for the Audi after its registration was linked to reports of gunshots in Brixton, south London, the night before.
Blake described feeling “filled with dread” during the 15 second incident, adding: “There was a lot of noise and shouting of armed police.
“There was a large screeching of an engine revving. I can remember feeling quite frightened and filled with dread at that stage as I could not sense what would happen next.”
In his statement, Blake said “it was my unequivocal belief that the driver was using his car as a weapon” and “he was oblivious to the danger he was causing”.
Blake said officers were shouting “police” and telling the driver to stop.
The marksman said he had “a very clear impression” of at least three or four officers being around the vehicle in “very close proximity” to it as it moved back in what he believed was a fourth attempt to try to escape.
Blake said he took a position with his firearm and pointed his green laser dot in the direction of the driver in the hope that he would stop, but claimed it did not work and he could hear the engine revving.
Blake said he heard “a sudden roar of the engine” and believed if the car reversed, the officers were in “imminent danger” of death.
He said: “If the car managed to travel even a short distance, the officers would have been taken up underneath the front or rear wheels.”
Blake said he felt that “in that split second that the only thing appropriate to do” was to incapacitate the driver.
In his statement, he said: “I believe the discharge of my firearm in those circumstances was lawful, proportionate and necessary.
“I fired to save the lives of my colleagues.
“It was my genuine belief that if I had not incapacitated the driver, the vehicle would have continued to move forward with one or more of my colleagues going under and being killed.”
However, the prosecution has alleged the officer’s initial account of the shooting was “false” in some parts and “exaggerated” in others.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC last week told the jury the Audi Q8 was being driven at speeds of 8mph and a maximum of 12mph when the driver struck the vehicles which were boxing him in.
He added: “It will be a matter for you to consider but in a number of material respects that account is false, we say, in parts and exaggerated in other parts.”
Mr Blake, who was formerly referred to as officer NX121, denies murder.
The trial continues.
