Mississippi officer involved in fatal 1-year-old shooting previously accused of exaggerating threat
A Mississippi police officer involved in the June fatal shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley was previously accused of exaggerating a threat posed by a vehicle during a 2019 incident, according to records obtained by Mississippi Today.
Officer Hunter Foster, now with the Senatobia Police Department, was involved in a 2019 confrontation at a Waffle House parking lot while working for Southaven police. A federal lawsuit filed in 2022 accused Foster of falsifying his report, claiming a driver accelerated toward officers. Surveillance footage, however, showed no evidence of the car threatening officers, and officers were seen striking men on the ground.
Foster responded to a shoplifting call at Walmart in Senatobia on June 14. Authorities say he and other officers attempted to stop a vehicle, which drove toward officers, nearly striking one, according to a statement by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Foster’s involvement in the shooting has prompted criticism from community activists, some calling for his firing or prosecution.
Foster, 32, has not publicly commented on the incident. His father, Rick Foster, a retired law enforcement officer, declined to discuss his son’s actions, saying he expects the full investigation to reveal details. The victim’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, held Kohen in her arms during the incident. An independent forensic autopsy indicated Kohen was struck by a bullet from an intermediate distance, suggesting officers were not in immediate danger, according to civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
The shooting has led to questions about transparency, as authorities have not released body-worn camera footage despite claims of its existence. Foster left his previous job with Southaven police a month before a federal lawsuit was filed. Since joining the Senatobia force in March 2025, Foster was promoted to sergeant six months after hiring. His law enforcement career includes a notable record for DUI arrests, but he has also faced allegations of excessive force that were dismissed in court.
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