*Kohen Wiley was just 1 year old when he was fatally shot Sunday after police opened fire on a vehicle outside a Walmart in Senatobia, Mississippi, an incident that has sparked multiple investigations and drawn the attention of civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
Another woman in the vehicle was critically injured.
According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, officers from the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Department responded to a reported shoplifting incident at the Walmart store.
Authorities said officers encountered two adult women and a child as they entered a vehicle in the parking lot.
Police allege officers ordered the driver to stop, but she instead accelerated toward law enforcement personnel and nearly struck one of the officers.
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Officials say an officer then fired at the vehicle before it left the scene.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
The child’s family disputes key parts of the official account.
Family members told local media that Kohen’s mother was holding him in the passenger seat while his aunt was driving the vehicle. They have also denied allegations that their relatives were involved in shoplifting.
After the shooting, Kohen was transported to a local hospital in the same vehicle and was later pronounced dead.
The aunt, who was also struck by gunfire, remains in critical condition, according to family members.
As news of the shooting spread, witness accounts began to emerge that raised additional questions about the encounter.
One woman who witnessed the incident told WREG that she saw officers running through the Walmart parking lot before hearing gunshots.
The shooting occurred in the middle of a busy Walmart parking lot, raising concerns among witnesses about the danger posed to shoppers and bystanders nearby.
“I seen the officers take off running, not in the car, I’m talking about on feet,” the witness said.
She said she then saw a vehicle driving away before hearing shots fired.
“Then I hear gunshots and I’m like, I know they’re not shooting at a car that’s leaving in a public… this is Walmart,” she told the station.
Another witness reportedly told WREG that officers appeared to be waiting in the parking lot as two women exited the store. According to that witness, one woman was carrying a box of diapers while another was holding the child.
Calls For Accountability
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, sharply criticized the shooting and called for accountability.
“A 1-year-old child is dead because police officers in Mississippi opened fire on a car in a crowded Walmart parking lot,” Crump said in a statement.
“Kohen Wiley was a baby. His mother, who has not been charged with any crime, says she was trying to communicate to officers that there was a baby in the car.”
Crump argued that officers fired despite being aware that a child was inside the vehicle.
“They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old,” he said. “We intend to seek justice for baby Kohen and the life that was stolen from him.”
Investigations Underway
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into the shooting.
Meanwhile, Tate County Sheriff Luke Shepherd said his department has opened an internal review to determine whether any deputies involved in the incident should be placed on administrative leave.
Senatobia police also issued a public statement pledging transparency as the investigation moves forward.
“As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible,” the department said.
Walmart also addressed the tragedy.
A company spokesperson said Walmart was saddened by the shooting and emphasized that the safety of customers and employees remains a top priority. The retailer said it is cooperating with law enforcement investigators.
A Community Seeks Answers
The death of Kohen Wiley has left a grieving family searching for answers and intensified scrutiny over police use of force during encounters involving moving vehicles.
While investigators work to determine exactly what happened in the Walmart parking lot, several critical questions remain unresolved, including whether officers were in immediate danger, what led to the decision to fire, and whether alternative actions could have prevented the death of a child.
For now, the focus remains on a 1-year-old whose life ended in a parking lot encounter that has shocked a Mississippi community and drawn national attention.
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