Mississippi 1-year-old killed when police shoot at car during alleged shoplifting call

Kohen Wiley was killed in Sunday’s shooting in a Walmart parking lot, and a friend of his mother was seriously injured.
A Mississippi family is demanding answers after a 1-year-old was killed when police responding to a shoplifting call at a Walmart fired at their vehicle.

The shooting occurred Sunday afternoon in the store’s parking lot in Senatobia, about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee.

Kohen Wiley, 1, was in a vehicle with his mother and a family friend when he was fatally shot, said civil rights attorney Ben Crump. The friend was critically injured, he said.

“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 said in a statement Tuesday.

“They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old. We intend to seek justice for baby Kohen and the life that was stolen from him.”

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting, said in a statement that when Senatobia police officers arrived, they “encountered two subjects and a juvenile child fleeing from the store into a vehicle.”

The state agency said police tried to stop the vehicle, “but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one.” An officer then discharged their weapon, firing at the vehicle, according to the MBI.

The driver then drove to a nearby hospital, where the child was pronounced dead, the bureau said.

No law enforcement officers were seriously injured, the state agency said in its statement.

Senatobia police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. The police department said Sunday on Facebook that it was “committed to full transparency.”

“As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible,” the department said.

The Tate County Sheriff’s Office was also on scene for the shooting. The office said in a news release that deputies had been responding to an unrelated incident when their assistance was requested.

“Please keep the family of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers,” the sheriff’s office said.

Marquell Bridges, a community advocate who is helping the family, said Tuesday on Facebook that the boy’s mother did not steal from Walmart “and was not a witness to or accomplice to any crime.”

“She was skipping and playing with her child, Kohen, to the car moments earlier, not fleeing a theft,” he said. “What started as an ordinary day, playing with your baby and getting into a car, turned into the worst day of a mother’s life and a tragedy this community will carry for years to come.”

He called on the police department to release body camera and store surveillance video.

Carlos Haynes, the child’s grandfather, told The Associated Press that Kohen was a happy baby who had his life cut short.

“Someone ended it all before it could even start,” Haynes said.

The child’s family did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment Tuesday.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said at a news conference that body camera video and other possible evidence won’t be released until after the state investigation is complete and presented to the attorney general’s office for possible criminal charges.

He didn’t provide a timeline for that process and declined to discuss details of the shooting. He pleaded with people to remain patient so the five agents investigating the shooting can interview potential witnesses without fear of intimidation.

In a statement Tuesday, the city of Senatobia said it was committed to cooperating fully with the MBI’s independent investigation.

“We understand that emotions are high and that many questions remain. We respectfully ask our community to avoid speculation and the spread of unverified information while the investigation is underway,” the statement said.

It acknowledged the child’s death as “a heartbreaking tragedy” and extended condolences to the family. The city also asked for thoughts and prayers for law enforcement officers, first responders and anyone else affected by the situation.

“We ask our community to continue responding with compassion, respect, and grace as we support all those affected during this difficult time,” the statement said.

Walmart said it is working with law enforcement during the investigation.

“We’re saddened by what took place at our Senatobia, MS, store,” a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement.

CRE: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mississippi-1-year-old-dies-walmart-shoplifting-police-incident-rcna350260