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Mississippi attorney general says officer's force was justified in death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley
PBS • • nation
Key Points:
- Mississippi's attorney general ruled that a Senatobia police officer was justified in firing at a vehicle believed to be driving toward officers, which resulted in the death of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley inside the car.
- The shooting occurred after officers responded to a shoplifting call at Walmart; Kohen's mother and friend, both Black, denied theft and have not been charged.
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump representing Kohen's family challenges the justification, citing an independent autopsy suggesting Kohen was shot from the side, and calls for release of body-worn camera footage that has not been made public.
- Experts on police use of force criticized the shooting, stating that shooting at moving vehicles is generally unjustified and that officers should have moved out of the way if the vehicle was approaching.
- The incident has intensified existing tensions between Senatobia police and the Black community, amid prior allegations of racial bias and misconduct within the department.
