Police used 'justified' force in fatal shooting of one-year-old, says Mississippi attorney general

October 20, 2026

Mississippi's attorney general ruled that police were justified in using deadly force during a shoplifting investigation at a Walmart in Senatobia, which resulted in the death of one-year-old Kohen Wiley in June. Authorities claim officers fired at a vehicle that was allegedly being driven toward them after responding to reports of stolen baby supplies, killing the child who was sitting on his mother's lap in the passenger seat. The boy's mother denies any theft occurred and states she held up her son to show officers he was present before shots were fired, while neither she nor the driver has faced criminal charges.

Who is affected

Kohen Wiley (one-year-old boy who was killed)
Vellesiya Wiley (Kohen's mother, passenger in the vehicle)
Latoya Ferrell (driver of the vehicle, critically injured)
The police officer who fired the shots
Protesters in Senatobia
The former police chief who was fired

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The attorney general's ruling has been completed, and the family's lawyer has made statements, but no current investigative or legal actions are specified as ongoing.

Why it matters

This case raises critical questions about police use of deadly force, particularly when children are present, and the threshold for justifying lethal action during non-violent crime investigations like shoplifting. The refusal to release body camera and surveillance footage undermines public transparency and accountability in officer-involved shootings. The incident has intensified concerns about racial disparities in policing, especially given the context of occurring on Juneteenth, the firing of the police chief over racist text messages, and the racial dynamics between the white officer and Black victims.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC