Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding
Mississippi's attorney general's office found that the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in a Senatobia Walmart parking lot was justified. Ben Crump, the family's lawyer, disputes the finding and wants a federal investigation; officer Hunter Foster has resigned.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
A Senatobia, Mississippi, police officer fired into a car in a Walmart parking lot on June 14, 2026, killing 1-year-old Kohen Wiley as his mother held him. On October 19, the state attorney general's office found the officer's use of force justified and declined to prosecute. Ben Crump, a lawyer for the family, disputes the finding and seeks a federal investigation. The officer, Hunter Foster, has resigned.
Read the full background
On June 14, 2026, Senatobia police officers responding to a shoplifting call at a Walmart confronted two women who had left the store and gotten into a car with 1-year-old Kohen Wiley. Officers drew their guns, and one officer, Sgt. Hunter Foster, fired into the car as it drove off. His shots killed Kohen, who was in his mother's arms in the front passenger seat, and wounded the driver. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, disputes that account and says she lifted her son up to show officers a child was in the car.
After the bureau's investigation, the attorney general's office said on October 19 that the use of force was justified, and Attorney General Lynn Fitch wrote that her office was declining prosecution. Ben Crump, who represents the family, said the state reached that conclusion without letting the family or the public see the body-camera footage. The Department of Public Safety released body-camera video on October 22. Foster resigned days after the ruling; his lawyer says Foster did not know a child was in the car. The family's lawyers say they will seek a federal investigation.
People in this case
Ben CrumpDirectly involved
Timeline
4 timeline entries on this page. Dates: June 14, 2026 to October 23, 2026
June 2026
Senatobia officer's shots kill 1-year-old Kohen Wiley
Incident
Officers responding to a shoplifting call at a Senatobia Walmart confront two women who left with a 1-year-old in a car. One officer fires into the car, killing Kohen Wiley as his mother holds him and wounding the driver. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation says the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one; Kohen's mother disputes that account.
[01]Police Shooting of 1-Year-Old Kohen Wiley 'Was Justified,' Mississippi Attorney General Says
The Mississippi Free Press reports the attorney general's finding, describes the June 14 shooting and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's account, and quotes Ben Crump's statement for the Wiley family.
[02]Attorney General's office finds use of force justified in fatal shooting of Senatobia toddler
Mississippi Public Broadcasting reports the attorney general's finding and the longer letter declining prosecution, a statement from Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, and responses from the Wiley family's lawyers and a community organizer.
October 2026
Attorney general's office finds the use of force justified
After reviewing the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's findings, the attorney general's office says the officer's use of force was justified. In a longer letter to Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, Attorney General Lynn Fitch writes that her office is declining prosecution and will close the case.
[03]Mississippi Attorney General's Office
The Mississippi attorney general's office's October 19, 2026 statement says it completed its review of the June 14 Senatobia incident involving one police officer and found the use of force justified, after an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting (October 19, 2026) · Mississippi Attorney General's Office[02]Attorney General's office finds use of force justified in fatal shooting of Senatobia toddler
Mississippi Public Broadcasting reports the attorney general's finding and the longer letter declining prosecution, a statement from Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, and responses from the Wiley family's lawyers and a community organizer.
Department of Public Safety releases body-camera video
Source release
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety releases video of the shooting from several officers' body-worn cameras. NBC News reports the footage shows the car reversing into a parked vehicle as officers yell for it to stop, then accelerating forward as an officer steps toward it and fires, shattering the front passenger window.
[04]NBC News
NBC News reports that a Senatobia official confirmed Foster's resignation, quotes his lawyer Martin Zummach, and describes the body-worn camera video the Mississippi Department of Public Safety released.
[05]WMC Action News 5
Action News 5 reports that the Mississippi Department of Public Safety released Foster's body camera footage, that the Wiley family's lawyers say Foster resigned, and quotes Ben Crump's statement responding to the resignation.
Senatobia confirms Foster's resignation
A Senatobia official confirms to NBC News that Foster has resigned from the police department. His lawyer, Martin Zummach, says Foster resigned for the good of the city and denies knowing a child was in the car.
[04]NBC News
NBC News reports that a Senatobia official confirmed Foster's resignation, quotes his lawyer Martin Zummach, and describes the body-worn camera video the Mississippi Department of Public Safety released.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Mississippi Attorney General's Office
The Senatobia officer's use of force in the June 14, 2026 shooting that killed Kohen Wiley was justified.
What is disputed
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation says the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. Kohen's mother says the driver was not heading toward officers, and a forensic examiner retained by Ben Crump found that the bullet trajectory suggested officers were not in danger, according to Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
Sources (2)
- Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting (October 19, 2026) · Mississippi Attorney General's Office
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
3 matching responses. Newest first.
Ben CrumpCivil rights lawyer representing Kohen Wiley's family, in a statement to Action News 5Directly involvedBefore this statement
Action News 5 reports that Foster resigned from the Senatobia police force earlier in the week and that Crump, in a statement, said the resignation does not end the case.
"Officer Foster's resignation is hardly a step toward accountability, and it is certainly not justice. A badge cannot simply be turned in to escape responsibility for taking the life of an innocent 1-year-old baby."
CondemnedCase context: Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding
Full statement and sources
Responding to Foster's resignation, Crump says it is not accountability or justice and that turning in a badge does not end Foster's responsibility for Kohen's death.
After the statement
Crump says the family will not allow the resignation to be the end of the story and will continue demanding Foster's permanent decertification and a federal investigation.
Former Senatobia officer who shot Kohen Wiley named in previous lawsuits · WMC Action News 5Why this label?
The case concerns whether the Senatobia officer was justified in firing into the car, killing Kohen Wiley. Crump says Foster bears responsibility for taking the child's life and that resigning does not amount to accountability, which condemns the shooting.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Mississippi Attorney General's OfficeOffice of Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, in an official statementDirectly involved Before this statement
The attorney general's office says it has completed its review of a June 14, 2026 incident in Senatobia involving one officer with the Senatobia Police Department.
"In this incident, the Attorney General's Office found the use of force was justified."
Defended or excusedCase context: Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding
Full statement and sources
The Mississippi attorney general's office says it has completed its review of the June 14 Senatobia shooting involving one police officer and found the officer's use of force justified.
After the statement
The office says the review followed an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, under Section 45-1-6 of the Mississippi Code.
Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting (October 19, 2026) · Mississippi Attorney General's OfficeWhy this label?
The case concerns whether the Senatobia officer was justified in firing into the car, killing Kohen Wiley. The attorney general's office found the use of force justified, which defends the shooting.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
- Ben CrumpCivil rights lawyer representing Kohen Wiley's family, in a statementDirectly involved
Before this statement
The Mississippi Free Press reports that Crump, who represents the Wiley family, decried the attorney general's decision in a statement on Monday.
"A 1-year-old baby was shot and killed by a police officer, and now the state of Mississippi says that use of force was justified. How can anyone accept that conclusion when Kohen's family and the public still have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage?"
CondemnedCase context: Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding
Full statement and sources
Crump questions how anyone can accept the attorney general's finding that the officer's use of force was justified while Kohen's family and the public have not been allowed to see the body-camera footage.
After the statement
Crump says the city's police chief was fired after reports of racial slurs in his text messages and that the officer faced a complaint alleging a racially offensive remark two days before the shooting. He says that if the footage supports the state's decision, it should be released.
Why this label?
The case concerns whether the Senatobia officer was justified in firing into the car, killing Kohen Wiley. Crump rejects the state's conclusion that the force was justified and questions how it can be accepted without the footage, which condemns the shooting and the finding.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(6)
Official statement
Statement on Officer-Involved Shooting (October 19, 2026)
About this source
The Mississippi attorney general's office's October 19, 2026 statement says it completed its review of the June 14 Senatobia incident involving one police officer and found the use of force justified, after an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
- Author
- Mississippi Attorney General's Office
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Former Senatobia officer who shot Kohen Wiley named in previous lawsuits
About this source
Action News 5 reports on two earlier excessive-force lawsuits naming Foster, quotes Ben Crump's statement on Foster's resignation, and quotes Foster's lawyer and a former Shelby County sheriff's lieutenant on the shooting.
- Author
- Joyce Peterson and Stuart Rucker
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Mississippi police officer who fatally shot 1-year-old Kohen Wiley has resigned
About this source
NBC News reports that a Senatobia official confirmed Foster's resignation, quotes his lawyer Martin Zummach, and describes the body-worn camera video the Mississippi Department of Public Safety released.
- Author
- Dan Gallo, Nicole Duarte and Corky Siemaszko
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Senatobia officer resigns as his body cam video in Kohen Wiley shooting is released
About this source
Action News 5 reports that the Mississippi Department of Public Safety released Foster's body camera footage, that the Wiley family's lawyers say Foster resigned, and quotes Ben Crump's statement responding to the resignation.
- Author
- Joyce Peterson and Stuart Rucker
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Attorney General's office finds use of force justified in fatal shooting of Senatobia toddler
About this source
Mississippi Public Broadcasting reports the attorney general's finding and the longer letter declining prosecution, a statement from Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, and responses from the Wiley family's lawyers and a community organizer.
- Author
- Elise Catrion Gregg, Mississippi Public Broadcasting
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Police Shooting of 1-Year-Old Kohen Wiley 'Was Justified,' Mississippi Attorney General Says
About this source
The Mississippi Free Press reports the attorney general's finding, describes the June 14 shooting and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's account, and quotes Ben Crump's statement for the Wiley family.
- Author
- Ashton Pittman and Nick Judin, Mississippi Free Press
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/kohen-wiley-senatobia-police-shooting
The Dispute Index. "Mississippi's attorney general finds the police shooting that killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley justified; Ben Crump disputes the finding". First published: 2026-10-28. Last updated: 2026-10-28. https://disputeindex.com/cases/kohen-wiley-senatobia-police-shooting