The Senatobia police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old child during an incident outside of a local Walmart has been placed on administrative leave.
During a Tuesday mayor and board of aldermen meeting, city officials decided to take action regarding the unidentified officer as unrest has built in the community. The incident, which took place on Sunday afternoon, claimed the life of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, the child’s family confirmed.
Police responded to the Senatobia Walmart in response to a shoplifting call, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the agency spearheading the assessment into the officer-involved shooting announced.
At the scene, law enforcement said they encountered two women and a child quickly leaving the store and hopping into a vehicle. Police said they attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged a squad-issued firearm as the vehicle fled the scene. The shot reportedly struck Wiley, who later died at an area hospital.
The child’s death has sparked outrage from both his family and other community members, some of whom have argued that the shooting was racially charged. Protestors gathered outside Senatobia City Hall on Tuesday, calling on the officer who fired the shot to be both fired from his post and arrested.
Meanwhile, Senatobia leaders are asking the public to be patient as the investigation into the matter plays out and to avoid spreading misinformation about the shooting.
“Our community has experienced a heartbreaking tragedy, and the City of Senatobia extends its deepest condolences to the family grieving the loss of a child. We also ask that you keep our law enforcement officers, first responders, medical personnel, and everyone affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers,” a post from the city’s official Facebook account reads.
“We understand that emotions are high and that many questions remain. We respectfully ask our community to avoid speculation and the spread of unverified information while the investigation is underway. Please allow the investigative process to take its course so that the facts—not rumors or assumptions—guide our understanding of this tragic event.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell has also weighed in, assuring the public that MBI will conduct a thorough assessment, and that, once the investigation has wrapped up, footage from the incident will be available to the public.
As for the grieving family, prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced that he and his colleague Van Turner will represent them as their legal counsel.
