Mississippi Police Killing Protests
Mississippi Protesters Demand Justice, Transparency After Officer Fatally Shoots Kohen Wiley
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Key Points
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The Mississippi Department of Public Safety stated the officer shot at a car that "drove in the officer's direction" during the June 14 incident that killed Kohen Wiley.
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A town hall followed the march in Senatobia, where community members pressed for answers and accountability.
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Protest signs included messages such as "Stop the War on Black America!" and "Justice for All Victims of Police Violence."
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Tear gas was deployed by police at a previous protest in the series, highlighting ongoing clashes over how the incident is being handled.
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The Walmart where Wiley was shot was briefly closed during the march.
A police officer shot and killed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley on June 14 in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi, responding to a shoplifting call over a box of diapers. Mississippi Today reports the Mississippi Department of Public Safety said the officer fired because a car drove "in the direction of" officers — a claim the family directly disputes.
Twelve days later, with no body camera footage released to the public, dozens of protesters marched through Senatobia on June 26, demanding answers. The Walmart where Wiley was killed briefly closed during the march. A public visitation and town hall followed, drawing community members pressing for accountability.
Family Says Car Was Reversing, Not Charging
The state's account and the family's account are sharply different. Action News 5 reports the Mississippi Department of Public Safety says the car drove toward an officer. But Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, says that is wrong. She was in the car. "I watched my baby take his first breath, and I watched my baby take his last breath," she said. She says they were trying to surrender — backing up, not driving forward.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined the family's legal team on June 22. He pointed to bullet holes found in the front windshield on the passenger side as key evidence. "If that is the truth, then show us that," Crump said about the state's moving-vehicle claim. "The longer you delay releasing the video, the more distrustful we become." As of June 26, no footage had been made public.
Tear Gas and Snipers Greet a Grieving Community
The June 26 march was not the first protest. On June 16 — just two days after the shooting — about 200 people gathered at Senatobia City Hall. That evening, police in gas masks fired tear gas at protesters near the Walmart parking lot. Mississippi Today notes that residents also reported seeing snipers on rooftops, a response many in the community called a "paramilitary" reaction to a grieving crowd.
The officer involved was placed on administrative leave without pay after public outrage. His name has not been released. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation took over the inquiry on June 15. Protest signs at the June 26 march read "Stop the War on Black America!" and "Justice for All Victims of Police Violence," according to WBBJ TV.
Diaper Theft Call Sparks Debate Over Police Use of Force
Legal experts say shooting at a moving vehicle is one of the most controversial acts in policing. Many major departments — including the NYPD and LAPD — ban it unless a secondary threat like a gun is present. The concern: disabling a driver leaves the car unguided and more dangerous. Community leaders in Senatobia argue that a shoplifting call over diapers should never have reached the point of lethal force.
Comparisons to past cases have emerged in coverage. WLBT notes that advocates have drawn parallels to the 2014 killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland and the 2010 death of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones in Detroit — cases where Black children were killed by officers responding to low-level situations. Activists in Senatobia framed Kohen Wiley's death as part of the same pattern.
Community Demands Video Release and Policy Change
The central demand at every protest has been the same: release the footage. Marchers called for the body camera video, Walmart security footage, and the 911 transcript to be made public. Advocates are also pushing Mississippi lawmakers to require body camera footage in officer-involved shootings be released within 48 to 72 hours — a rule already in place in several other states.
A wrongful death lawsuit is expected against the City of Senatobia and potentially the Tate County Sheriff's Department. The funeral for Kohen Wiley is expected to draw national civil rights figures and may bring calls for a federal Department of Justice investigation. Mississippi Today reports the MBI investigation remains open, with no charges announced and no footage released as protests continue to grow.
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