Community Unites to Support Family After Tragic Shooting of 1-Year-Old

In Mississippi, thousands of dollars have been raised in under a day to support the family of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, who was fatally shot by a police officer. The GoFundMe campaign aims to assist with funeral expenses and related costs amid growing tensions in Senatobia. As of Friday afternoon, the fundraiser had collected over $3,300 toward the $5,000 goal.

“This money will help the family tremendously,” organizer Christopher Williams stated. “Burying loved ones can be costly both emotionally and monetarily. Although this won’t bring back their baby boy, it will aid them during their time of grief.”

The Incident and Investigation

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is examining the events surrounding the shooting. Officers were responding to a shoplifting call at Walmart in Senatobia when they encountered suspects and a child fleeing into a vehicle. As police attempted to stop the car, the driver moved toward officers, and an officer fired at the vehicle.

Vellesiya Wiley, Kohen’s mother, explained in a social media video that she was leaving Walmart with her son when a friend was stopped by police. “I kept walking because it had nothing to do with me,” she said. When her friend entered a vehicle and began reversing, Wiley showed officers her son was in the car. She described hearing gunshots, one of which struck Kohen.

The car then headed to the hospital, where Kohen was pronounced dead. Carolyn Stokes, Kohen’s great-grandmother, criticized the officer’s actions, calling them reckless. “Why draw your weapon on potential shoplifters?” she asked. “They could’ve been hurrying.”

Progress in the Investigation

Authorities informed Newsweek that police bodycam footage could be released within months. Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin stated that the case is a priority and that investigations typically take 6–9 months. Findings will be turned over to the Attorney General’s Office, and a public records request can be made once the investigation concludes.

Attorney Van Turner, representing the family, asserted that the footage will show the vehicle was not a threat. “What you’ll see is excessive force,” he said. “The threat was neutralized, and firearms were still used. We demand transparency.” The officer involved has been placed on leave.

Tensions in Senatobia

Marquell Bridges, founder of the Building Bridges Coalition, a group supporting the Wiley family, stated that Kohen’s death is “just the breaking point” in a community with a history of racial tension and police incidents. Examples include a confrontation where an officer used a Taser on a woman and an officer fired for arresting a 10-year-old boy who urinated in a parking lot.

Activists highlight Kohen’s death as evidence of misplaced priorities, lamenting the loss of a child’s life over allegedly stolen diapers. “Items on a shelf are treated as more valuable than a child,” Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., commented on Instagram.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell urged patience as the investigation proceeds. “This is a tragic situation,” Tindell remarked. “The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation will conduct an independent investigation with five agents working diligently to present the findings to the AG’s office.”