Full Breakdown
Mississippi Attorney General Declares Police Shooting of Toddler Justified
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On June 14, 2026, officers from the Senatobia Police Department responded to a shop-lifting call at a Walmart in Senatobia, Miss. While attempting to stop a vehicle carrying 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, his mother Vellesiya Wiley, and a friend, an officer fired into the car. The bullet struck the toddler, who died at a local hospital, and critically wounded the passenger. The officer, later identified as Sgt. Hunter Foster, was placed on administrative leave. On October 19, 2026, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office announced that the use of force was justified and that no criminal charges would be filed.
Background & Context
The incident followed a report that Wiley and her friend had allegedly stolen diapers and baby clothes. Senatobia’s police department has faced criticism for encounters with Black residents, including a 2025 arrest over a handicap-space dispute and the 2023 firing of an officer who arrested a 10-year-old Black boy for public urination. In September 2025, former Police Chief Harold Vanderford was removed after reports of racial slurs in private texts.
Data & Statistics
- Victim: Kohen Wiley, age 1, Black.
- Date of shooting: June 14, 2026.
- Location: Walmart parking lot, U.S. 51, Senatobia.
- Officer: Sgt. Hunter Foster (White).
- Injuries: Wiley (fatal), passenger Latoya Ferrell (critical).
- Administrative action: Foster placed on leave on June 16, 2026.
- Legal outcome: No criminal charges as of October 19, 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
The city of Senatobia confirmed that Foster was placed on leave, a standard practice after a deadly officer-involved shooting.
Criticism & Opposition
Civil-rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wiley family, challenged the AG’s conclusion, arguing that the evidence does not support a self-defense claim. Independent forensic analysis released on July 1, 2026 indicated the bullet entered Wiley’s right side and exited the left, contradicting the police narrative that the car was moving toward the officers. John P. Gross, an authority on police use of force, said best practice would be to move away from a perceived threat rather than fire into a vehicle. Martin Zummach, counsel for the officer, argued the driver “tried to kill” officers, framing the shooting as unavoidable.
On-the-Ground Reports
Activist Patrick Lumumba, founder of the Senatobia Committee for Accountability and Transparency, accused officials of tailoring the investigation to protect the officer and called for immediate release of all video evidence.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Police account (Mississippi Bureau of Investigation): Vehicle drove toward officers, creating imminent danger.
- Independent autopsy (family-hired pathologist): Bullet trajectory shows a side-entry wound, suggesting the car was not heading directly at officers.
- Video evidence: Neither body-camera nor Walmart surveillance footage has been released publicly, despite repeated requests from the family and civil-rights groups. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety says footage will be provided only after the investigation is formally closed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “How can anyone accept that conclusion when Kohen’s family and the public still have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage?” — Ben Crump
- “This shooting was almost certainly unjustified,” — John P. Gross
- “His family deserves the truth. The public deserves transparency,” — Marquell Bridges, activist