The short version
- The Mississippi attorney general determined that the fatal shooting of one-year-old Kohen Wiley by a Senatobia officer was justified use of force.
- Family representatives and independent experts challenge the official narrative, citing autopsy evidence suggesting the child was shot from the side rather than the front.
- Calls for the release of body-camera footage intensify as the incident compounds existing tensions between the local police department and Black residents.
The Mississippi attorney general’s office has concluded that a Senatobia police officer acted lawfully when he fired into a moving vehicle, killing a one-year-old boy inside. The determination, announced on Monday, brings a formal end to the state’s criminal investigation into the June shooting of Kohen Wiley. Officials stated that the use of force was justified because investigators found the vehicle was driving toward law enforcement officers who had responded to a call regarding alleged shoplifting at a local Walmart.
The incident occurred in mid-June when officers arrived at the store parking lot after receiving reports that Vellesiya Wiley, Kohen’s mother, and her friend Latoya Ferrell had stolen diapers and baby clothes. Both women are Black, while the officer involved, Sgt. Hunter Foster, is white. According to police accounts, the women exited the store with the infant, entered their car, and began to drive away as officers approached. Police say they attempted to stop the vehicle, but it moved in the direction of the officers, prompting Foster to fire his weapon. The shot struck Kohen, killing him instantly, and wounded Ferrell.
Despite the attorney general’s ruling, neither Wiley nor Ferrell has been charged with shoplifting or any other offense. Court records show no evidence has been made public to substantiate the initial theft allegations. Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing the family, emphasized that the lack of charges undermines the premise of the police response. He noted that authorities have not released any proof of criminal activity by the women, raising questions about why a lethal force scenario was initiated based on unproven claims.
Significant disputes remain regarding the dynamics of the encounter. Crump pointed to an independent preliminary autopsy which indicated that Kohen was shot from the side of the vehicle, not the front. This finding contradicts the police assertion that the car was driving directly at them. If the child was struck from the side, it suggests the officer may not have been in the direct path of the vehicle. A photograph of the damaged car shows a shattered passenger window and an apparent bullet hole in the windshield on the passenger side, details that family advocates argue support their version of events.
Legal experts have weighed in on the conflicting narratives. John P. Gross, a specialist in police use of force against moving vehicles, stated that shooting at a car is generally poor practice regardless of direction, as it endangers officers, occupants, and the public. He suggested that if the vehicle was indeed heading toward them, officers should have moved out of the way rather than firing. Charles “Joe” Key, a ballistics expert who often testifies for police, agreed that the damage pattern suggests the officer was not personally at risk from a frontal collision. He noted that justification would only hold if officers were directly in the path of the car, a scenario he said body-camera footage must clarify.
The central point of contention now is the transparency of the investigation. Crump and other advocates are demanding the immediate release of body-worn camera footage from the scene. They argue that without seeing the video, the public and the family cannot verify whether the officer’s account matches reality. Martin Zummach, the attorney for Sgt. Foster, maintains that his client had no choice but to fire because the driver attempted to kill him and other officers present. However, Crump countered that the state’s conclusion is unacceptable without visual proof, stating the family will continue fighting until they receive the truth.
This case has further strained relations between the Senatobia police department and the city’s Black community, which makes up approximately 40 percent of the population. The shooting follows a series of controversial incidents involving local law enforcement. Last year, an officer threatened a Black woman with a Taser during a dispute over an accessible parking space in the same Walmart lot. Two years prior, an officer arrested a 10-year-old Black boy for urinating in public, an event that drew national criticism.
Leadership changes have also marked recent months in Senatobia. Former Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired by the city’s board of aldermen after reports alleged he used racist slurs in private text messages. He has been replaced by Angelica Maze, a Black woman who is now leading the department. Activists like Marquell Bridges, who has worked closely with Kohen’s family, argue that these systemic issues explain why trust in the current investigation is low. They insist that releasing the footage is essential to restoring credibility and ensuring accountability for the death of a toddler.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- PBS NewsHour↗Mississippi attorney general says officer's force was justified in death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley
- The Guardian US↗Mississippi attorney general rules fatal police shooting of one-year-old as ‘justified’
