Mississippi Attorney General Declares Police Shooting of Toddler Justified

On June 14 2026, officers from the Senatobia Police Department opened fire on a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi, killing 1-year-old Kohen Wiley and critically wounding his mother’s friend, Latoya Ferrell. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office announced on October 19 2026 that its review found the officer’s use of force “justified,” meaning no criminal charges will be filed.

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Senatobia, a town of about 8,000 people roughly 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, has a Black population of roughly 40 percent and a poverty rate of 26.4 percent. The police department has faced prior allegations of racially charged conduct, including a 2025 incident in which an officer threatened a Black woman with a Taser and a 2023 arrest of a 10-year-old Black boy for public urination. In September 2025 the department’s chief was dismissed after reports of racist text messages.

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• June 14 2026 – Police respond to a shop-lifting call; officer fires into the vehicle, killing Kohen Wiley.

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• October 19 2026 – AG Lynn Fitch’s office releases a statement declaring the use of force “justified.”

Who is Lynn Fitch? Mississippi’s first-ever attorney general says the officer's ‘use of force’ was ‘justified’ in the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old

• Late October 2026 – Mississippi Department of Public Safety announces that body-camera and surveillance footage will be released “later this week.”

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• November 3 2026 (scheduled) – Senatobia Board of Aldermen to discuss the employment status of the officer involved.

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• The family’s independent autopsy reported that the bullet entered Kohen Wiley’s side, contradicting the police claim that the vehicle was moving toward officers.

Mississippi attorney general says police officer who fatally shot 1-year-old was ‘justified’

• Witnesses say the officer fired three to four shots into the car.

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• Attorney Martin Zummach, representing the officer, told the Associated Press that the driver “tried to kill” the officers, leaving the officer “no choice but to fire.”

Lynn Fitch Says Mississippi Police Use of Force Was Justified in Kohen Wiley Shooting: 14 outlets compared

• Ben Crump argued that the decision lacks transparency, demanding release of body-camera footage.

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• MLBC Chairman Rep. Kabir Karriem said the AG “cannot reasonably expect public confidence” without evidence.

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• Marquell Bridges described the ruling as a “cover-up.”

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Protests erupted in Senatobia within days of the shooting, with demonstrators gathering at City Hall and the Walmart site. Police deployed tear gas during a later march demanding video evidence. Residents expressed sorrow and resignation, noting the incident was “not surprising” given the department’s history.

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• Police narratives assert the vehicle was moving toward officers; the family’s autopsy and photographic evidence suggest otherwise.

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• No body-camera or Walmart surveillance footage has been publicly released, despite multiple public-records requests.

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• The AG’s statement provides no detail on the evidentiary basis for the “justified” finding.

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The Mississippi Department of Public Safety plans to release the videos “later this week.” The Senatobia Board of Aldermen’s November 3 meeting will consider the officer’s employment status, a decision that could influence departmental policy and community trust. Continued legal advocacy by the Wiley family and civil-rights groups is expected.

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