The death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley has sparked protests in Senatobia, Mississippi.
SENATOBIA, Miss. — The family of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley is demanding the release of police and store video after the child was killed Sunday when an officer fired at a vehicle outside a Walmart during a shoplifting response.
The shooting has placed new scrutiny on the Senatobia Police Department and Tate County sheriff’s deputies, who were at the scene. State investigators are reviewing what happened before the gunfire, including the path of the vehicle, officer commands, witness accounts and surveillance recordings.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said officers and deputies responded to a report of alleged shoplifting at the Walmart and saw two adults and the child leave the store and get into a vehicle. Officials said the driver then moved toward officers, nearly striking one, and an officer fired at the car. The vehicle left the parking lot and later arrived at a hospital. Kohen was pronounced dead there, and another occupant was critically injured. State officials said no officers were seriously hurt.
Kohen’s relatives have disputed the need for gunfire and said the case began over an allegation involving diapers. Licole Wiley, the child’s grandmother, said officers opened fire in a public place when a baby was not a threat. Another grandmother, Lasandra Williams, said everyone involved should be held accountable. Crump said Kohen’s mother tried to alert officers that her child was in the vehicle before the shooting.
Protests followed this week outside City Hall and the Walmart. On Tuesday night, officers in protective gear used a chemical irritant after demonstrators gathered at the store. Some residents said the response deepened anger in the community. On Wednesday, relatives and supporters gathered again near the store, where posters and memorial items marked the spot as family members spoke about Kohen’s life and called for charges against the officer who fired.
State Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said the investigation is independent and will follow department policy. He said agents are collecting statements and evidence before the case is presented to the attorney general’s office. The officer who fired has been placed on administrative leave, a standard step after a deadly police shooting. Authorities have not released the officer’s name.
As of Thursday, June 18, no charges had been announced. The next major step is the completion of the state investigation and the expected release of video after that review ends.
Author note: Last updated June 18, 2026.