Full Breakdown
One-Year-Old Killed in Senatobia Walmart Shooting Sparks Investigation and Protests
6/20/2026, 6:42:22 AM
Incident Overview
On June 14, 2026, Senatobia Police and Tate County deputies responded to a shop-lifting call at a Walmart in Senatobia, Mississippi, about 40 miles south of Memphis. Officers saw two adults and one-year-old Kohen Wiley leaving the store in a sedan. According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the driver drove toward the officers, nearly striking one, and an officer fired into the vehicle. Kohen was hit in the ribcage and died at a hospital; the adult passenger was critically injured. No officers were injured. The officer was placed on administrative leave and the MBI opened an independent inquiry.
Timeline
June 14 – Shooting and fatalities. June 15 – City officials placed the officer on leave. June 16 – Police posted a Facebook notice pledging “full transparency”; protests erupted and tear gas was deployed. June 17 – Family, represented by civil-rights attorneys Ben Crump and Van Turner, released a video; Walmart briefly closed and reopened.
Official Statements & Responses
Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said five agents are collecting evidence and will forward findings to the state attorney general, promising an independent investigation and eventual public release of body-camera and Walmart surveillance video. The City of Senatobia called the event a “heartbreaking tragedy” and urged residents to avoid speculation while the probe continues. A Walmart spokesperson expressed sadness and pledged cooperation with investigators. The Senatobia Police Department reiterated its “commitment to full transparency” on social media.
Community Criticism & Opposition
Residents and activists denounced the shooting as “reckless” and “unjustified.” Breshari Faulkner said, “We lost a child because of carelessness, recklessness of the police.” Marquell Bridges asserted that “the only violence came from the police department when they decided to tear-gas peaceful protesters.” Protester Kaysoski Sanders called the incident “ridiculous” and suggested racial bias. Demonstrators demanded accountability and an end to what they described as a pattern of over-policing.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police say the driver headed toward officers; Vellesiya Wiley and an unnamed witness contend the car was moving away. A Memphis-area video reportedly shows the vehicle retreating, while bullet trajectories indicate shots entered the passenger-side windshield. The officer’s name, the department’s use-of-force policy, and a timeline for releasing video remain undisclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old.” — Ben Crump, civil-rights attorney
- “We lost a child because of carelessness, recklessness of the police,” — Breshari Faulkner, community resident
- “And if you shoot the driver, then you have an unguided missile.” — Geoffrey Alpert, policing expert
- “The only violence came from the police department when they decided to tear-gas peaceful protesters,” — Marquell Bridges, community activist
What’s Next
The MBI’s five-agent team will keep interviewing witnesses and reviewing dash-cam, body-cam, and Walmart footage, with Commissioner Tindell saying the evidence will be made public after the investigation is completed and forwarded to the attorney general.
