A man shot dead by police in London has been named as 23-year-old rapper Chris Kaba who went by the name Madix or Mad Itch 67.
Cops were in pursuit of a “suspect vehicle” at around 10 p.m. on Monday (Sep. 5) when they hemmed in the Audi driven by the rapper, forcing him to stop. Once the chase ended, cops say one police firearm was discharged.
As reported by BBC, Madix was months away from becoming a father, according to the mother of his fiancée. She said the “super-kind” “funny” rapper was “so loved.”
“Crazy. He was always happy. He’d do anything for you,” Kimberly Alleyne explained. “He was a fiancé, he was due to get married in five months’ time. He’s got a baby on the way that he’s never going to see.”
She added, “It’s horrible and so shocking and so sad,” questioning why he had to be shot. Kimberly Alleyne believes had Madix been white he would have been given “a chance to get out the car.”
Maddix was part of drill collective 67 and had been nominated for a prestigious MOBO award for his music.
Cops Investigating Madix’s Death Say One Shot Was Fired
Witnesses at the scene report hearing gunshots and a police helicopter hovering overhead. A statement from the Metropolitan Police reveals, “specialist firearms officers were in pursuit of a suspect vehicle.” Once the vehicle was stopped, a “police firearm was discharged.”
The say officers administered first aid before Madix was transported to hospital. However, he died from his injuries shortly after midnight. A post-mortem is set to take place to establish the preliminary cause of death.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened an investigation, standard procedure in any police shooting in England. They confirmed one shot was fired from a police issue firearm.
Sal Naseem, IOPC London regional director, said: “When the police use fatal force it is important that there is a robust, independent investigation to establish all of the circumstances surrounding what happened.”