Mississippi Attorney General says officer was justified in shooting that killed 1‑year‑old Kohen Wiley

The Mississippi State Attorney’s Office has concluded that a Senatobia police officer was justified in the June 14 shooting that killed 1‑year‑old Kohen Wiley, according to a statement released Monday. The ruling followed a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation review of the fatal encounter outside a Walmart in Senatobia.

Mississippi State Attorney’s Office Says 1-year-old Kohen Wiley shooting justified

Wiley’s family attorneys said the call involved alleged theft of diapers and baby clothing.

According to investigators, two adults and a child left Walmart, entered a silver sedan and attempted to drive away. As officers approached, the vehicle moved toward them, prompting one officer to fire into the car. Wiley was struck and later died at a nearby hospital. The driver was critically injured, and neither adult was charged with shoplifting. Kohen and his mother were in the backseat.

The attorney general’s office said the officer’s actions met Mississippi’s legal standard for justified use of force. The statement did not name the officer, though local reporting identified him as Sgt. Hunter Foster.

MBI Completed Review and Sent Findings to State

Senatobia Interim Police Chief Angelica Maze said in September that the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation completed its inquiry and forwarded findings to the attorney general, as required under state law. Body camera and surveillance footage remain unreleased. Officials said the video is part of the investigative file.

The shooting occurred during a response to a low‑level theft call. Because of that, residents questioned why lethal force was used. The department has not released additional details about officer positioning or distance at the time of the shooting.

Kohen Wiley’s Family and Attorneys Reject State’s Conclusion

Wiley’s family disputes the ruling. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said an independent autopsy indicates Wiley was shot from the side of the vehicle, not the front. He said that contradicts claims that the car moved toward officers.

Crump also criticized the lack of transparency. He said the public cannot assess the ruling without body‑camera or surveillance footage.

“How can anyone accept this conclusion when Kohen’s family and the public still have not been allowed to see the body‑camera footage?” Crump said in a statement reported by ABC News.

Wiley’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, said investigators never interviewed her. She said she raised her son to show officers he was in the car before shots were fired. She denied stealing anything and disputed that the driver moved toward police.

Wiley also said her friend did not try to hit the officers. “They was all on the right side, and she was driving towards the left,” she said.

Community Reaction and Months of Protest

The attorney general’s ruling followed months of protests, vigils and demands for accountability in Senatobia. Demonstrators gathered at City Hall and outside Walmart, where police deployed tear gas to disperse crowds, according to ABC 24 News.

Residents said the investigation lacked transparency and left critical questions unanswered. The shooting intensified concerns about policing in Senatobia, which has faced recent controversies, including allegations of racist language by its former chief.

Kohen Wiley’s Case Moves Toward Civil Action

With the state’s review complete, the case shifts toward potential civil action. Wiley’s family says they will continue pushing for the release of all video evidence. They argue that the ruling fails to explain why a toddler died during a low‑level shoplifting call.

They also say the public deserves a full explanation of the events that led to the fatal encounter.