Family members and community leaders in Senatobia are demanding answers following the death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, who was shot during a police incident last week. Wiley’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, described witnessing officers fire into the vehicle her son was in, hitting him in the rib area.
At a Monday news conference, Wiley said she watched her son take his first and last breaths. Attorneys representing the family called for the release of body and dashboard camera footage and announced plans for an independent autopsy, which they said could help provide clarity and peace for the family, according to Ben Crump Law.
Crump, along with Memphis civil rights attorney Van Turner and family members, questioned the police response. They disputed police claims that officers shot at the vehicle during a shoplifting incident at Walmart. The family’s attorneys said the women in the car have not been charged.
Police said officers responded to a call about shoplifting from the Walmart on U.S. 51. Authorities claimed the vehicle drove toward officers, prompting the shooting. The family disputes this account, and Wiley’s supporters held protests at the scene, which included tear gas dispersal by law enforcement.
The Senatobia Board of Aldermen placed an officer on administrative leave following the shooting. The officer’s name was inadvertently released through a public records request, revealing him as Hunter Foster. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is conducting an investigation expected to take six to nine months, with the case eventually reviewed by the attorney general’s office for potential criminal charges, according to DPS spokesperson Bailey Martin.
Community activists, including Patrick Alexander, voiced concerns about recent use-of-force incidents by local law enforcement. Wiley’s family shared their grief, with Kohen’s grandmother expressing sorrow over missed milestones and calling for justice.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
