The Mississippi Attorney General announced on Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, that a Senatobia police officer will not face criminal charges for the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy. The office of Attorney General Lynn Fitch completed its review of the June 14, 2026, incident and determined the officer's use of force was justified. The shooting occurred in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, resulting in the death of Kohen Wiley.
According to video and reports, law enforcement officers responded to a call regarding a shoplifter attempting to leave the retail location. Footage posted by Darkhorse Press shows officers surrounding a silver sedan and shouting for the driver to stop. The Attorney General's office stated that the driver moved forward and nearly struck an officer, at which point an officer opened fire on the vehicle.
Kohen Wiley was in the vehicle and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The boy’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, stated at a June press conference that she was holding her son in her lap during the shooting. Family attorney Ben Crump said the mother and the driver deny the shoplifting allegations and have not been charged with a crime. Vellesiya Wiley stated she held the child up to show officers there was a minor in the car to try to stop the gunfire.
Ben Crump and the Wiley family have requested the public release of all body camera footage to verify the state’s findings. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety stated it would release the video at the end of the week of Oct. 19, after the family views it. The incident occurred as the Senatobia Police Department underwent administrative changes, including the recent firing of the police chief for allegedly using racial slurs, though the source does not link that firing directly to the shooting.
While state criminal proceedings have concluded with the "justified" finding, the family has indicated through legal counsel that they will continue to seek further information regarding the circumstances of the shooting.