Mississippi Officer Fatally Shoots Infant During Walmart Shoplifting Response

A police officer from the Senatobia Police Department shot 1-year-old Kohen Kartier Wiley while he was seated in a sedan in the parking lot of a Walmart on June 14, killing the child and critically injuring the vehicle's driver. The incident occurred as officers responded to a shoplifting report and attempted to stop a vehicle that was moving toward them, according to a statement from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The statement said the driver “drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one,” after which an officer discharged a weapon and the vehicle fled the scene.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case, and the Senatobia Police Department said it will provide transparency as the investigation proceeds. No officers were reported to have been seriously injured.

Family members of the child have disputed the shoplifting allegation, saying the infant’s mother was in the passenger seat and the aunt was driving when the shot was fired. Witnesses described seeing two women leave the store, one with a diaper box and the other holding the infant, and observed the car being pursued on foot before gunshots were heard.

Local officials and community members plan to gather at Senatobia City Hall on Tuesday to call for accountability. Walmart issued a statement expressing sadness over the incident and affirmed its commitment to the safety of customers and employees while cooperating with law enforcement.