SENATOBIA, MS – Preliminary findings from an independent autopsy have challenged law enforcement’s account of the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, fueling intense local demands for transparency and accountability.
Autopsy Findings Challenge Police Account
During a press conference on July 1, prominent civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Van Turner revealed that the toddler died from a shotgun wound to the torso. The independent examination concluded that the bullet entered the right side of the child’s chest and exited through the left, ruling the manner of death a homicide.
Attorneys argue these findings contradict claims by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety that officers fired because the vehicle was driving toward them. Crump presented photographic evidence showing a shattered passenger-side window and a bullet hole in the windshield.
“How are you going to fear for your life when you’re shooting from the side?” Crump questioned during the news conference.
The Incident at Walmart
The shooting occurred at approximately 2:00 p.m. on June 14 at a Senatobia Walmart. According to police reports, officers responded to an alleged shoplifting incident involving diapers and observed two individuals and a child fleeing to a vehicle.
The child’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, stated that she and her son were not involved in the shoplifting dispute and went to their car. She recounted raising her baby up to show officers he was inside the vehicle just before shots were fired.
The vehicle subsequently arrived at a local hospital, where the 1-year-old was pronounced dead, and another passenger was treated for gunshot wounds. No officers were injured.
Community Response and Investigation
The incident has triggered national attention and local demonstrations in Senatobia, a city located about 40 miles south of Memphis. Following the shooting, the involved officer was placed on administrative leave, and Senatobia’s mayor has publicly committed to a transparent investigation.
Final farewells were paid to the toddler on June 27 during a funeral service at the Hosanna Family Worship Center in Pope, Mississippi, where family and community leaders vowed to continue fighting for answers.
