A one-year-old boy, identified by family members and local reporting as Kohen Kartier Wiley, died after a Mississippi police officer fired at a vehicle outside a Walmart in Senatobia on Sunday, June 14, 2026.
The shooting began with a reported shoplifting call and involved officers from the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Office, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
Key Facts
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MBI said officers responded to the Walmart on U.S. 51 and encountered “two subjects and a juvenile child” entering a vehicle. In its preliminary statement, the agency said officers tried to stop the vehicle, the driver drove in the direction of officers and almost struck one of them, and an officer then discharged a weapon.
The vehicle left the scene and later arrived at a local hospital, where the child was pronounced dead and another person was treated for critical injuries. MBI said no law enforcement officers suffered serious physical injuries.
AP reported that Kohen was in the vehicle with his mother and her friend. Marquell Bridges, a community advocate assisting the family, told AP that Kohen’s mother was physically unharmed and that her friend was seriously injured.
Family members have disputed the shoplifting allegation. Mississippi Free Press reported that relatives said Kohen’s mother was in the passenger seat holding him and that the driver, described as the child’s aunt in that report, was critically injured. The outlet also reported that a witness saw two women leave the store, one carrying a box of diapers and one carrying the infant.
Latest Verified Update
As of June 17, the officer who fired the fatal shot had not been officially identified. Senatobia leaders confirmed Tuesday night that the officer was placed on administrative leave, which Action News 5 reported as standard practice after deadly police shootings.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said MBI has five agents assigned to the case and is gathering statements and evidence. Investigators are reviewing body camera video, dash camera video and Walmart surveillance video.
Background and Context
The central issue is now the officer’s use of deadly force during a response to an alleged retail theft call involving a vehicle with a child inside. MBI’s preliminary account says officers saw a juvenile child with the two adults before the vehicle encounter escalated.
Crump said in a June 16 statement that Kohen’s mother “has not been charged with any crime” and said she tried to communicate to officers that a baby was in the car. That account comes from the family’s legal team and has not been publicly confirmed by MBI.
Walmart said it was saddened by what happened at its Senatobia store and was working with law enforcement. The Tate County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment to AP, while the Senatobia Police Department said it would share more information as facts are verified.
What Happens Next
MBI said it is assessing the critical incident and gathering evidence. After completing the investigation, agents will send their findings to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office. The agency also warned that its early account is preliminary and subject to change.
No criminal charges, civil lawsuit or official use-of-force finding had been announced in the verified sources reviewed. The next major public records are likely to be the investigative findings, any released video and the attorney general’s review of whether the officer’s actions should be presented for possible criminal consideration.
