AI Image
Mississippi AG says police shooting that killed 1-year-old was ‘justified’
NBC News • • nation
Key Points:
- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch declared the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley by a Senatobia police officer during a shoplifting response as a "justified" use of force after a four-month investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
- The incident occurred when officers attempted to stop a vehicle fleeing a Walmart parking lot; the officer fired after the driver allegedly drove toward police, nearly striking one officer.
- Kohen's family and their attorney, Ben Crump, have disputed the official account, questioning the justification and calling for the release of body camera footage to clarify the circumstances.
- The child's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, stated that she was trying to show officers her baby was in the car and denied any intent to harm officers, contradicting police reports.
- A preliminary autopsy released by the family’s lawyers indicated the bullet passed through one side of the car, raising further doubts about the shooting's justification and fueling ongoing protests for justice.
