A 1-year-old boy was fatally shot by a police officer in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi, after authorities said his family tried to drive away during a reported shoplifting incident.
The child, identified as Kohen Wiley, was killed Sunday when an officer fired into the vehicle, according to officials. A woman in the car was also critically injured.
Family members told WREG that Kohen was in the front passenger seat, being held by his mother, while his aunt was behind the wheel.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said officers from the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Department were called to the Walmart in response to a reported theft.
Investigators said officers confronted two adults and the toddler as they were leaving the store and getting into a vehicle.
Authorities said police ordered the driver to stop, but she instead drove toward officers and nearly hit one of them, prompting the officer to open fire.
A cop then opened fire on the vehicle before it drove away.
Kohen was brought to a local hospital in the same vehicle, where he was pronounced dead. Family members told WREG that the aunt was in critical condition.
Kohen Wiley, 1, was killed and another woman was critically injured in Senatobia on Sunday outside a Walmart when a cop opened fire on their car
His mother was holding the toddler in the passenger seat as his aunt drove, Kohen’s family told WREG (Pictured with his mother)
The family has denied the allegations that their loved ones were stealing.
A woman who witnessed the shooting, who did not want to be identified, told WREG she saw the shooting unfold: ‘I seen the officers take off running, not in the car, I’m talking about on feet, and these are the Sheriffs and the police.’
‘They’re running through the parking lot and I see the car take off, you know, so in my head, I’m like, I know they’re not chasing the car, they don’t think they’re going to catch the car.
‘Then I hear gunshots and I’m like, I know they’re not shooting at a car that’s leaving in a public… this is Walmart.’
Another witness told the outlet he heard two gunshots and added that officers were waiting in the parking lot as two women exited the store, with one carrying a box of diapers and the other holding Kohen.
Senatobia police said it is committed to full transparency in a statement after the shooting.
‘As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible,’ the department wrote on Facebook.
According to authorities, after they instructed the driver to stop the car, she instead drove at officers, nearly striking one of them
Kohen was brought to a local hospital in the same vehicle, where he was pronounced dead
A Walmart spokesperson made a statement on Monday noting that the company was saddened by the shooting death outside the store and added that the safety of staff and customers is a top priority, according to Mississippi Today.
The company is also working with law enforcement during the investigation.
Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, issued a statement as well: ‘A 1-year-old child is dead because police officers in Mississippi opened fire on a car in a crowded Walmart parking lot.’
‘Kohen Wiley was a baby. His mother, who has not been charged with any crime, says she was trying to communicate to officers that there was a baby in the car.’
‘They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old. We intend to seek justice for baby Kohen and the life that was stolen from him.’
According to Mississippi Today, Tate County Sheriff Luke Shepherd said the department has launched an internal review to determine whether any deputies involved in the shooting will be placed on leave.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the incident.
