Mississippi’s Attorney General declared a police shooting that killed a 1-year-old boy during a shoplifting response was justified, sparking outrage from the family’s attorneys who are demanding the release of body camera footage to verify the state’s conclusion.
Fatal Shooting at Walmart Parking Lot
Kohen Wiley died on June 14, 2026, when a Senatobia police officer fired at a vehicle leaving a Walmart parking lot approximately 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office announced Monday that after a four-month investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the use of force was determined to be justified. The officer discharged his weapon after the vehicle allegedly drove toward officers, nearly striking one during an attempted stop.
The child’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, was a passenger in the vehicle while her friend drove. According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, officers responded to a shoplifting call and witnessed two adults and a juvenile fleeing the store. When officers tried to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly drove in the officers’ direction, prompting the shooting. The vehicle fled to a local hospital where Kohen was pronounced dead and another occupant sustained critical injuries.
Mother’s Account Contradicts Official Report
Vellesiya Wiley provided a markedly different version of events in a video released by attorney Ben Crump in June. She stated they had gone to Walmart for diapers and that her friend was briefly stopped while leaving the store. Wiley said she continued walking because the matter did not involve her. When police confronted them as they began backing out, Wiley claimed she lifted her baby up to show officers he was in the car.
According to Wiley, her friend accidentally hit another vehicle while her door remained open, but did not attempt to strike any officers. She insisted the officers were positioned on the right side while her friend drove toward the left. The family’s legal team released a preliminary autopsy report in July suggesting the fatal bullet entered through one side of the vehicle, raising questions about the shooting circumstances.
Demands for Transparency and Justice
Attorney Ben Crump challenged the state’s findings and called for immediate release of body camera footage from the incident. He emphasized that if the video supports the state’s justified use of force determination, authorities should have no hesitation releasing it. Crump noted that Wiley has not been charged with any crime and was attempting to communicate the baby’s presence to officers. The family has participated in months of protests in Senatobia demanding justice for the slain child, refusing to accept the state’s conclusions without seeing the complete evidence.