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Politics · October 20, 2026

1 Year Old Killing by Cop Over Stolen Diapers 'Justified' Says Mississippi A.G.

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Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced that the fatal police shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in June 2026 was a justified use of force. The incident occurred in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia as officers responded to a shoplifting call involving the child's mother and a friend. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation stated that the officer fired when the vehicle drove toward them, almost striking an officer. However, the family and their attorney, Ben Crump, dispute this account, citing a private autopsy suggesting the shots were fired from the side of the car rather than the front. The family is calling for the release of body-camera footage, which the Senatobia Police Department has not yet disclosed.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch ruled the shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley as justified.
  • The shooting occurred on June 14, 2026, outside a Walmart in Senatobia, Mississippi.
  • Officers were responding to a shoplifting call at the time of the incident.
  • Kohen Wiley was in a vehicle with his mother and another adult when he was struck by gunfire.
  • The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) conducted the investigation into the incident.
  • Attorney Ben Crump is representing the Wiley family and has called for the release of body-camera footage.

Reported by only some outlets

  • The shoplifted items were diapers.
  • An independent autopsy conducted by Robert Mitchell indicates bullets entered the front passenger door rather than the windshield.
  • The Senatobia Police Chief, Harold Vanderford, was fired prior to this ruling for sending racist text messages.
  • Officer Dexter Smith filed a complaint against Sergeant Hunter Foster, the shooter, alleging the use of a racial slur two days before the shooting.
  • The driver of the vehicle sustained critical injuries in the shooting.

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