Police watchdogs are to examine whether race was a factor in the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba by armed officers.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) issued an update on its investigation into the shooting of Mr Kaba on September 5, following a police pursuit which ended in Streatham Hill, south London.

In a statement, the IOPC said it was required by law to conduct a “wide-ranging independent investigation”.

The statement went on: “Therefore, we must explore all of the circumstances surrounding Mr Kaba’s death including: how the officers came to be aware of the vehicle Mr Kaba was driving; if they had any prior knowledge of Mr Kaba; and their decision-making and actions on the 5 September.

“We will also examine whether or not Mr Kaba’s race influenced any actions taken by the police.”

The Metropolitan Police firearms officer who fatally shot the 24-year-old, who was unarmed, was later suspended from duty.

The IPOC said it had been in contact with Mr Kaba’s family regarding the investigation, which is expected to take six to nine months to complete.

Separately, a coroner’s inquest into the death will be opened on October 4.