Mississippi Police Shooting Kills 1-Year-Old Boy

A Mississippi community is mourning the death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, who was fatally shot after police opened fire on a vehicle during a response to a reported shoplifting call outside a Walmart in Senatobia.

According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, officers with the Senatobia Police Department and deputies from the Tate County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of shoplifting on June 14. Authorities say two adults and the child got into a vehicle, and when the officers attempted to stop it, the driver allegedly drove toward law enforcement and nearly struck an officer. An officer then fired at the vehicle, which left the scene before arriving at a nearby hospital, where Kohen was pronounced dead. Another adult in the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

Family members say Kohen’s aunt was driving and Kohen was sitting on his mother’s lap in the passenger seat when the shooting occurred. According to reports, there is video footage of the vehicle driving away from police, which would directly contradict police reports that it was moving “in the direction of” the police officers on scene.

Kohen’s family have questioned why deadly force was used during what began as a response to an alleged shoplifting incident and are calling for accountability as they search answers. Community advocates have also begun assisting the family in obtaining legal representation and raising funds for funeral expenses.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken over the officer-involved shooting investigation. Officials say the review remains active, and no officers have been publicly identified or charged. The Senatobia Police Department has said it is committed to being transparent as the investigation progresses, while Walmart said it is cooperating with law enforcement.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI.