The Metropolitan Police commissioner has criticized “dangerous narratives” about the police shooting of Chris Kaba by a firearms officer who was acquitted of murder, revealing that Kaba’s gang has been linked to 11 shootings in the last year.

Mr Mark Rowley He said online comments, often focused heavily on Kaba’s ethnicity, risked undermining justice in the wake of the shooting, and urged commenters to be more aware of the weight of their words.

“From the beginning, for the last two years, most of the online conversation focused entirely on Chris Kaba ethnicity,” he said during a speech at an event in London on Tuesday.

“Rumors and innuendo fueled quite dangerous narratives about alleged facts that were separated from the evidence presented in court and the verdict recently delivered by 12 Londoners.

“I went so far as to say that some highly influential people were at risk of undermining the British justice system, and those people should know better.”

Sergeant Martyn Blake He was unanimously acquitted last month of murder for the September 2022 shooting of Kaba as he tried to escape a police stop in Streatham, south London.

The case generated intense debate: Kaba’s family staged protests after the verdict was pronounced, while the government unveiled plans to give anonymity to firearms officers in court until convicted in a police accountability review.

After the trial, a gag order was lifted allowing it to be reported that Kaba was a member for Lambeth. “67“ band and he probably would have been tried for attempted murder for a nightclub shooting five days earlier if he had not been killed.

Sir Mark told the event, organized by Crimestoppers, that the gang was one of the 10 most active in London and was involved in the exploitation of children, the distribution of drugs and the “indiscriminate use of firearms” and had been linked to 11 shootings. in the last year.

“We only have about 95 key criminals at the center of the gang,” he said. “They have many more partners on the margins.”

Sir Mark called for an honest conversation about the challenges facing black communities in London, pointing out that young black men are 13 times more likely to be murdered than white men. He said that gangs like the 67 are a “critical part” of that disproportionality.

He also warned there was a “fundamental problem” with police accountability that was leaving officers more concerned about legal risk than physical risk.

“The police needed more accountability and more transparency,” he said. “I would never, ever argue with it, but I think the sense that officers are now backing away from using some of their most sensitive and contentious powers is evidence that… the prospect of legal risk is dominating decision-making.” of the agents”.

Last month, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to firearms officers who face criminal proceedings for police shootings should be granted the presumption of anonymity until sentencing.

It followed reports that Sgt. Blake had been Forced to go into hiding behind a £10,000 reward. He offered himself to anyone who was willing to kill him.

However, Inquest, which supports Kaba’s family and other victims of state-related deaths, criticized the plans and insisted that the principles of open justice must apply “equally” to police and civilians.