Child dead, adult critically wounded after police shootout outside Mississippi Walmart

Authorities are investigating a shooting involving law enforcement that resulted in the death of a 1-year-old boy and critical injuries to an adult outside a Walmart in north Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

Officers from the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Department responded Sunday afternoon after a reported shoplifting at the store on U.S. 51. They spotted a vehicle leaving the scene and attempted to stop it, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety said. The driver allegedly drove toward officers and nearly hit one, prompting an officer to fire at the vehicle.

Following the shooting, the occupants of the vehicle took themselves to a local hospital. The child, identified by family members as Kohen Wiley, died at the hospital, while another person was listed in critical condition, authorities said. Family members questioned how police actions led to the child’s death and disputed reports that the child’s mother and aunt were involved in shoplifting.

Carolyn Stokes, the child’s great-grandmother, told Memphis TV station WMC, “All we know is that a car was shot up and a 1-year-old baby was killed. And then nobody tells us anything like we’re not anybody.” Family members could not be reached for further comment Monday.

In a statement, Senatobia police expressed a commitment to transparency, stating that they would share information as the investigation progresses. Authorities have not identified the driver or passenger involved in the incident. Tate County Sheriff Luke Shepherd declined to comment further, noting that the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe and that no charges have been announced at this time.

Walmart issued a statement expressing sadness over the incident and reaffirmed its focus on the safety of staff and customers, adding that it is cooperating with law enforcement. The incident marks one of several recent police interactions involving children in Mississippi, including an August 2023 case where officers detained a 10-year-old boy for urinating in a parking lot.

As of mid-June, Mississippi law enforcement had conducted at least 12 officer-involved shootings this year, with no children injured or killed in those incidents, according to state records. Since 2022, police have fatally shot at least four teenagers aged 15 to 17, citing criminal activity as the reason. The state has also seen instances of children being injured during police shootings, including 11-year-old Aderrien Murry, who was shot in May 2023 and suffered multiple injuries. A grand jury later declined to indict the officer involved.

This story has been updated to include comments from the Tate County sheriff, according to authorities.

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