Mississippi authorities decline criminal charges as newly released police footage raises questions about the shooting that killed a Black toddler.
by SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
SENATOBIA, Miss. — The Mississippi police officer who fatally shot 1-year-old Kohen Wiley has resigned, but the child’s family continues demanding accountability after state authorities ruled the shooting justified.
Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves said the city accepted Officer Hunter Foster’s resignation on October 21. The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office announced October 19 that Foster would not face criminal charges following its investigation into the June 14 shooting.
The tragedy unfolded in a Walmart parking lot after officers responded to an alleged shoplifting incident involving diapers and baby clothing.
Kohen was sitting on his mother’s lap inside a vehicle when officers approached. Video shows the driver reversing into another vehicle before accelerating toward officers. Foster fired three shots, killing Kohen and injuring the driver.
On October 22, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety released body-camera footage, including Foster’s recording, allowing the public to examine the confrontation.
The footage has intensified questions about whether the shooting could have been avoided.
According to Mississippi Today, several policing experts questioned officers’ positioning around the vehicle. Foster’s attorney, however, maintained that the officer fired because the vehicle was moving toward him.
Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Van Turner, representing Kohen’s family, dispute the state’s justification and are seeking a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
The family also wants Foster’s law enforcement certification revoked.
Kohen’s grandmother, LaSandra Williams, publicly questioned how the shooting could be considered justified.
Although the state investigation ended without charges, the family continues to pursue accountability.
The case has renewed scrutiny of police use-of-force policies, particularly when children and other innocent passengers are endangered during encounters involving suspected nonviolent offenses.