Image Source: Action News 5
Police officer shooting footage obtained by Action News 5 is raising fresh questions about the June 14 death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi.
The newly obtained material includes five videos: three body-camera recordings from Senatobia officers and two surveillance videos from Walmart. The footage was provided by Darkhorse Press two days after Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office determined that the officers’ use of force was justified.
Shocking Video Shows Moments Before Fatal Shooting
According to the footage, Senatobia police were at Walmart after a complaint involving a suspected “pervert.” That complaint was unrelated to the two women who were accused of shoplifting.
One surveillance video shows a security guard speaking with Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, and her great-aunt. Moments later, Wiley, who was holding Kohen, and the other woman are seen running toward a vehicle. The other woman enters the driver’s seat while Wiley gets into the front passenger seat with the child.
In another recording, officers inside Walmart’s loss-prevention office are interrupted by an employee who says that two women are running. Officers then leave the office and pursue the women as they get into the vehicle.
The video shows officers standing in front of the vehicle with their weapons drawn. They can be heard ordering the driver to stop as she backs out of a parking space. The car then moves toward officers, striking one of them, crosses into another parking aisle and hits a parked vehicle before leaving the area.
It remains unclear from the released footage which officers fired their weapons or which shots struck Wiley. Action News 5 did not obtain body-camera video from the officer who was hit by the vehicle.
Police Officer Comments Add to Community Outrage
A final body-camera recording shows officers outside an emergency medical center. An unidentified officer is heard saying, “I didn’t even see a f—ing baby in her lap.” Another officer responds, “Nobody knew the baby was there. All I saw was two females in the car.”
Patrick Lumumba, founder of the Senatobia Committee for Accountability and Transparency, said the community continues to grieve and remains troubled by what the video appears to show.
Lumumba questioned why shots were fired in the Walmart parking lot and argued that the footage challenges earlier accounts of the incident. He also criticized Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s decision, saying the matter should have been presented to a grand jury rather than resolved unilaterally.
“This community is still hurting,” Lumumba said, adding that residents are seeking justice and greater transparency from law enforcement agencies.
Conflicting Accounts Intensify Demands for Answers
The footage appears to conflict with portions of Vellesiya Wiley’s previous account. In a June 17 video statement released through attorneys Ben Crump and Van Turner, Wiley said she continued walking because the initial police stop did not involve her. She also said her friend drove toward the opposite side of the parking lot, away from officers.
The newly obtained video appears to show both women running to the vehicle and the vehicle moving toward an officer before striking him. Wiley previously said she lifted Kohen after officers drew their weapons in an effort to show them that the baby was inside the car.
The competing accounts have made the investigation especially sensitive. Community advocates say the complete video record is necessary to establish what officers saw, when they saw it and whether the use of deadly force was avoidable.
What Happened to Kohen Wiley?
On June 14, police responded to a reported shoplifting incident involving diapers at Walmart. According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the driver moved toward officers and nearly struck one of them. A police officer then fired toward the vehicle, striking Wiley and the driver.
Kohen died from his injuries. The officer involved was placed on administrative leave, which city officials described as standard procedure following a deadly police shooting.
In July, an independent autopsy requested by Wiley’s family classified his cause of death as homicide. Ben Crump and Van Turner are representing the family and have renewed calls for the release of all surveillance footage connected to the incident.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety officials said they planned to meet with the Wiley family before releasing additional information. Turner said the family’s attorneys were aware of the leaked footage and planned to review it with relatives.
- The footage includes three police body-camera videos and two Walmart surveillance videos.
- The vehicle struck an officer before leaving the parking area.
- Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office ruled the use of force justified.
- The family and community advocates continue to seek further investigation and accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Kohen Wiley?
Kohen Wiley was a 1-year-old child from Senatobia, Mississippi, who died after being struck by gunfire during a police shooting at a Walmart parking lot.
What does the leaked video show?
The footage shows two women entering a vehicle, officers approaching with weapons drawn and the vehicle moving toward and striking an officer before leaving the area.
Was the police shooting ruled justified?
Yes. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office determined that the officers’ actions were justified. Wiley’s family and community advocates dispute that conclusion.
Who represents Kohen Wiley’s family?
Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Van Turner represent the Wiley family and have called for the release of additional surveillance video.
What happens next in the case?
Officials were expected to meet with the family and review the leaked footage before releasing more information. The investigation and public debate remain ongoing.
