Publication date: October 19, 2026
Incident date: June 14, 2026
Location: Senatobia, Mississippi, United States
Topic: Police use of force, child safety and public accountability
Source: CNN and Associated Press
Original CNN article: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/19/us/mississippi-child-shot
State Attorney General Announces Decision
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced on October 19 that a police officer’s use of deadly force during a June incident in Senatobia was justified. The shooting killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, who was inside a vehicle with his mother.
The incident occurred on June 14, when Senatobia police responded to a reported shoplifting incident at a local Walmart. Officers encountered Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, and another woman as they were leaving the store and getting into a vehicle.
Police said the vehicle moved toward officers, nearly striking one of them. An officer then fired into the vehicle, killing Kohen and injuring another occupant.
The attorney general’s decision followed a state investigation into the shooting. Officials concluded that the officer’s use of force was justified, and the state announced that it would not pursue criminal charges against the officer. <Cite refs={[“turn552995search0″,”turn552995search6”]}/>
Family Disputes Police Account
Kohen’s family has challenged the authorities’ description of the incident. Vellesiya Wiley has denied that she and her friend stole anything, and neither woman had been charged with shoplifting in the reports cited here.
The family’s attorney, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, has pointed to preliminary autopsy findings that he says indicate Kohen was shot from the side of the vehicle. He argues that this contradicts the claim that the vehicle was driving toward officers when the shooting occurred.
The disputed accounts have raised questions about the circumstances that led to the officer opening fire and whether the use of deadly force was necessary.
Calls for Video Evidence and Transparency
The family and its supporters have called for the release of body-camera recordings, dash-camera footage and Walmart surveillance video. They say the recordings could help the public understand what happened before and during the shooting.
As of the latest reports cited here, the footage had not been publicly released. The absence of publicly available video has contributed to demands for a more transparent explanation of the state’s findings.
A Community Still Seeking Answers
The shooting has drawn attention to Senatobia’s history of controversy involving police conduct and has intensified concerns among some residents about accountability and equal treatment.
Kohen’s death has left his family grieving and seeking answers. Although the attorney general has concluded that the officer’s actions were justified under the state’s review, the family continues to dispute the official account and call for more evidence to be made public.
The case illustrates the importance of clearly explaining the evidence behind decisions involving deadly force, particularly when the official account is challenged by a victim’s family.
Editorial note: The attorney general’s conclusion is the state’s official finding. The family disputes the police account, and the cited reports indicate that key video evidence had not been publicly released. Those disagreements should be clearly represented in any republication.
Publication date: October 19, 2026
Incident date: June 14, 2026
Location: Senatobia, Mississippi, United States
Topic: Police use of force, child safety and public accountability
Source: CNN and Associated Press
Original CNN article: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/19/us/mississippi-child-shot
