Mississippi Officer On Leave After Walmart Shooting Kills One-Year-Old, State Probe Underway
A Mississippi police officer was placed on administrative leave after firing into a car outside a Senatobia Walmart on Sunday, June 14, 2026, killing 1-year-old Kohen Wiley.[1]
Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, says she lifted him up inside the vehicle to show officers just before an officer fired three to four shots that killed him.[1] The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation says the driver allegedly drove toward officers and nearly struck one, prompting an officer to discharge their weapon as the car fled.[1] The agency has pledged to release video of the shooting once its probe is complete.[1] Protests formed outside Senatobia City Hall demanding the officer's firing and arrest.[1] Ian Adams, a policing expert at the University of South Carolina, said shooting into a moving vehicle is "a very bad idea" and should be avoided in almost all circumstances.[1]
In May 2025, Senatobia police arrested Breshari Faulkner in the same Walmart parking lot after she parked in a handicap spot and said she was dropping off her grandmother. Body-camera footage showed the encounter escalate to a handcuffing on the ground and prompted public criticism. In 2023, officers detained a 10-year-old boy for urinating near a car; the case drew national attention and was later dismissed. Residents and activists say those incidents, and other rough encounters, contribute to a sense that minor incidents draw heavy-handed policing by the department.
The Guardian first reported the shooting and that an officer had been placed on leave.[2] Later reporting by CBS News published the mother's detailed account and the MBI's description of the vehicle's movement, and noted the agency's promise to release video.[1]
Social media has amplified calls for the MBI to publish the footage and for accountability, with local posts and videos showing protesters demanding the officer be fired and arrested.
The mainstream summary does not mention the racial dynamics at play in Senatobia, where approximately 40.3% of the population identifies as Black or African American. This demographic context is crucial, as it highlights the potential implications of police actions in communities of color, particularly in light of historical patterns of policing that have disproportionately affected Black residents. Furthermore, while the summary notes protests demanding accountability, it does not address the intensity of these protests, including reports of police deploying tear gas against demonstrators, which underscores the escalating tensions surrounding this incident.
Additionally, the mainstream coverage frames the officer's actions as a response to a perceived threat from the vehicle, yet social media perspectives reveal a contrasting narrative. Family accounts suggest that the mother was attempting to signal the child's presence before shots were fired, raising serious questions about the justification for the officer's use of lethal force. This discrepancy between official accounts and family claims highlights the urgent need for transparency, particularly regarding the promised release of video footage from the incident, which could provide critical insights into the circumstances leading up to the tragic shooting.[3][4][5]
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📊 Relevant Data
Senatobia's population is approximately 40.3% Black or African American.
Senatobia, Mississippi Population 2026 — World Population Review
📌 Key Facts
- On Sunday, June 14, 2026, the mother says she lifted 1-year-old Kohen Wiley up inside the vehicle to show officers he was present just before an officer fired three to four shots, killing him.
- The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation says the driver allegedly drove toward officers, nearly striking one, prompting an officer to discharge their weapon as the car fled.
- Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, disputes that the vehicle was moving toward officers, says officers were on the right side while the car moved left, and disputes claims that diapers were stolen, saying she believes a friend paid.
- The officer who fired has been placed on administrative leave, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation pledged to release video of the shooting once its probe is complete.
- Protests formed outside Senatobia City Hall demanding the officer's firing and arrest, with demonstrators describing the incident as a "blatant" and "reckless" shooting.
- Policing expert Ian Adams of the University of South Carolina said that, under modern policing standards, shooting into a moving vehicle is "a very bad idea" and should be avoided in almost all circumstances.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The CBS report provides the mother's detailed account that on Sunday, June 14, 2026, she lifted 1-year-old Kohen Wiley up inside the vehicle to show officers he was present just before an officer fired three to four shots, killing him.
- The article relays the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation statement that the driver allegedly drove in the direction of officers, almost striking one, prompting the officer to discharge their weapon as the car fled.
- Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, disputes that the driver was moving toward officers and says all officers were on the right side while the vehicle was moving left, and she further disputes that diapers were stolen, saying she believes her friend paid.
- Policing expert Ian Adams of the University of South Carolina is quoted saying that, under modern policing standards, shooting into a moving vehicle is "a very bad idea" and should be avoided in almost all circumstances.
- The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has pledged to release video of the shooting once its investigation is complete, and the officer who fired has been placed on administrative leave.
- The piece documents that protests have formed outside Senatobia City Hall demanding the officer's firing and arrest, with demonstrators describing the incident as a "blatant" and "reckless" shooting.