Approximately 100 individuals gathered in Senatobia, Mississippi, on Friday morning to protest the fatal shooting of a one-year-old boy by a police officer earlier this month. The demonstration, held outside a closed and barricaded Walmart, highlighted growing calls for transparency and accountability from law enforcement.
On 14 June, Kohen Kartier Wiley was shot and killed while sitting on his mother's lap in a vehicle. The bullet, fired by a Senatobia police officer into the passenger side of the car, also injured the woman driving. Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, expressed profound grief at a press conference, stating, "I watched my baby take his first breath, and I watched my baby take his last breath."
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) has indicated that officers were responding to a report of alleged diaper theft. However, no shoplifting charges have been filed, and Ms Wiley asserts that the vehicle's driver had paid for the items at the store's self-checkout. The DPS's initial statement on 14 June claimed officers encountered individuals "fleeing from the store into a vehicle" and that the driver "drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one." This account has been disputed by Ms Wiley and other witnesses.
Protesters, chanting "Justice for him! Kohen Wiley" and "Release the footage," marched from the Walmart, attempting to reach the Senatobia police station. Their route was repeatedly intercepted and redirected by law enforcement, who deployed barricades to prevent them from accessing the station. Despite the heat and police presence, the march continued through the town, with some local business employees showing support.
The family and community are vehemently demanding the release of all body-camera and security-camera footage related to the shooting. The DPS, however, has stated that this footage will not be made public while the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation conducts its inquiry. Sgt Hunter Foster of the Senatobia police department has been identified through a public records request as one of the officers present at the scene. The protests underscore a deep-seated frustration within the community regarding the official narrative and the lack of transparency.