The police department in Senatobia, Mississippi, is under scrutiny after a one-year-old boy was killed and another person injured when an officer shot at a vehicle during a shoplifting call response.
Details of the Incident
Kohen Wiley, the slain child, was in the car at the center of the shooting on Sunday alongside his mother and her friend, said Marquell Bridges, a local community advocate who is helping the family find legal representation. Wiley's mother was physically unharmed, but her friend was seriously injured, according to Bridges, president and founder of the Building Bridges Coalition.
The three had gotten into the vehicle after exiting a Walmart in Senatobia, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. As police tried to stop the vehicle, the motorist drove toward them and almost hit an officer, the bureau said. An officer then shot at the vehicle, which drove away. The two women drove to a hospital, where Kohen was pronounced dead.
Family's Grief
Carlos Haynes, the child's grandfather, described his grandson as a happy baby and said he was looking forward to watching him grow. "Someone ended it all before it could even start," Haynes said.
Official Responses
Senatobia's police department, which responded to the call, did not immediately respond to inquiries from the Associated Press. In a Facebook post, the department wrote: "As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible." The Tate County Sheriff's Office, which was also present during the shooting, declined to comment. 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.
Senatobia is about 40 miles (65 km) south of Memphis, Tennessee.
