1-yr-old Boy Killed After Police Open Fire On Vehicle In Walmart Parking Lot

A one-year-old boy, identified as Kohen Wiley, has died after police officers opened fire on a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi, during a response to an alleged shoplifting incident.

According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI), officers with the Senatobia Police Department encountered two adults and a child who were allegedly seen leaving the Walmart store and entering a vehicle after a reported shoplifting incident.

Authorities said officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver allegedly drove toward officers and nearly struck one of them.

The police department confirmed it was responding to a shoplifting report “which led to officers discharging their firearms.”

The MBI said one officer fired a weapon at the vehicle before it fled the scene. The driver later arrived at a local hospital, where the child inside the vehicle was pronounced dead. Another occupant of the vehicle reportedly sustained critical injuries.

Family members identified the deceased child as one-year-old Kohen Wiley and have called for accountability and answers over the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

“We don’t really know anything, why it happened or whatever,” Kohen’s great-grandmother, Carolyn Stokes, told WREG.

“All we know is that car was shot up and a one-year-old baby was killed.”

In a Facebook post, Kohen’s grandmother, Sonya Williams, wrote: “I Refuse To Question God, But I Need Answers.”

Video footage obtained by WREG reportedly showed at least one bullet hole in the vehicle’s front windshield, while the passenger-side window appeared heavily damaged.

According to family members, Kohen’s aunt was driving the vehicle, while his mother was seated in the front passenger seat holding the child on her lap when the shooting occurred.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said the officer-involved shooting remains under investigation.

The Senatobia Police Department stated that it is “committed to full transparency” and would release additional information as the investigation progresses.

Kohen’s grandfather, Carlos Haynes, expressed frustration over the incident.

“I’m just at a loss for words, to be honest. Somebody needs to be held accountable for it,” he said.

Another relative, LiCole Wiley, questioned the use of force by officers.

“It didn’t have to happen this way. It could’ve been handled differently,” Wiley said.

“Senatobia, Mississippi police opened fire in a public setting over allegedly some Pampers.”

Witnesses also raised concerns about the shooting.

One woman told local media she saw officers from the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Office running through the parking lot before hearing gunshots.

“They’re running through the parking lot and I see the car take off you know, so in my head, I’m like, I know they’re not chasing the car, they don’t think they’re going to catch the car,” she said.

“Then I hear gunshots and I’m like, I know they’re not shooting at a car that’s leaving in a public, this is Walmart.”

The Tate County Sheriff’s Office said its deputies were at the Walmart investigating an unrelated matter when they were asked to assist.

“The suspects fled the parking lot in their vehicle after an officer fired at the oncoming vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said.

Another witness claimed he heard two gunshots and observed law enforcement officers in the parking lot as two women exited the store carrying a box of diapers.

Family member LaSandra Williams vowed to continue seeking justice for the child.

“Everything and everybody involved needs to be held accountable,” she said.

“I’m not giving up until I get justice. It’s a must.”

The Senatobia Police Department has previously faced criticism over its handling of some incidents. In 2025, a woman was reportedly tackled and tased after allegedly parking illegally in a handicapped space at the same Walmart location.

In a separate case in 2023, an officer was dismissed and others disciplined after a 10-year-old boy was detained for urinating in public in the parking lot of a private attorney’s office.

As of the time of filing this report, the Senatobia Police Department had not publicly responded to additional media inquiries regarding the latest incident.