Bodycam footage has been released showing the final moments before police fatally shot a one-year-old boy in a Mississippi car park. The incident occurred on June 14 outside a Walmart in Senatobia after police responded to an alleged shoplifting call.
Kohen Wiley, the one-year-old son of Vellesiya Wiley, was caught in the crossfire and died from his injuries. The shooting triggered public outrage, but Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch has confirmed that the officers who opened fire will not face any charges, with a review finding "the use of force was justified."
Footage shows sequence of events
The footage, initially shared by Darkhorse Press, begins with a man running into the Walmart security office to warn officers that an active theft was in progress. He can be heard saying: "Two women are running, two women are running."
Several officers then sprinted to the car park and caught up with the vehicle as Wiley appeared to be attempting to get away. The footage shows officers surrounding the vehicle, ordering her to "stop the car." Within seconds, Ferrell, who was driving, accelerated towards the police and struck them with the vehicle.
In the clip, gunshots can be heard as she accelerated forward, and officials confirmed the one-year-old was shot dead.
Mother's account and legal response
Vellesiya Wiley claimed that police were aware a baby was in the car, as she raised Kohen in the air during the exchange. She said: "I raised my baby up, trying to show that he was in the car. So she [Ferrell] was backing up and she hit a car."
Her attorney, Ben Crump, said the two women deny the allegations that they were shoplifting, and neither has been charged with a crime in connection with the incident. The force used by the officers was determined as "justified," but no further reasoning was given.
Aftermath and injuries
Wiley added: "By the time I set my baby down, it was like three to four shots. One of the shots hit him in his ribcage and the other shot hit her in her arm and her thigh."
Baby Kohen was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, while Ferrell was airlifted to another hospital and left in a critical condition, according to family members.
