Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced on [date] that no charges would be filed against officers involved in the June 14 fatal shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi. The decision follows a review of bodycam and surveillance footage, which authorities say showed officers acted within policy during the incident.
Key developments:
- Attorney General’s ruling: Fitch stated the use of force was justified, concluding that officers followed protocol after responding to an alleged shoplifting incident.
- Bodycam footage release: Video from the incident, first shared by Darkhorse Press, shows officers surrounding the vehicle and ordering the driver to stop before gunshots were fired.
The shooting occurred after officers were alerted to a shoplifting attempt at the Walmart. According to police, officers pursued the vehicle driven by a friend of Wiley’s mother, who was accompanied by the toddler in the backseat. The driver accelerated toward officers, striking one, before gunfire erupted. Kohen Wiley was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Officials’ statements
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch stated in a press release that the review by her office determined the officers’ actions met legal standards for the use of force. “The Attorney General’s Office found the use of force was justified,” Fitch said, adding that the incident involved one officer from the Senatobia Police Department. The investigation was conducted by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
Bodycam footage, verified but not independently obtained by CBS News, shows five officers exiting the Walmart after being notified of a shoplifter attempting to flee. They surrounded the silver sedan and repeatedly shouted, “Stop the car.” The driver accelerated forward, nearly striking an officer, at which point gunfire was discharged. The video does not show the toddler being held by the mother in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, though Wiley’s mother has stated she was holding Kohen.
Family’s response
Kohen Wiley’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, and her legal team, including attorney Ben Crump, have disputed the shoplifting allegations and the officers’ account of the incident. Crump stated at a press conference that Wiley held up the toddler to show officers a child was in the car before the shooting. “I watched my baby take his first breath and I watched my baby take his last breath,” Wiley said. The family has not been charged with any crime, and their lawyer asserts the shoplifting claim is unfounded.
Investigation timeline
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation launched an immediate inquiry into the shooting following the June 14 incident. The case was subsequently reviewed by the Attorney General’s Office, which concluded that the officers’ actions were justified under state law. No further legal action against the officers is expected.
Background on the incident
On June 14, officers responded to a report of shoplifting at the Walmart in Senatobia. Two women were allegedly involved in the theft attempt. After being confronted by police in the parking lot, the driver of the vehicle accelerated toward officers, leading to the fatal shooting. The toddler, Kohen Wiley, was struck by gunfire and died at a nearby hospital.
The case has drawn public attention and raised questions about police use of force in high-stress situations, particularly when bystanders or children are present. Advocacy groups and legal experts have called for further review of the circumstances surrounding the shooting, while law enforcement officials maintain the officers followed proper procedures.