Mississippi 1-year-old killed after police shoot at car during alleged shoplifting call

A Mississippi family is demanding answers after a 1-year-old was killed when police responding to a shoplifting call at a Walmart fired at their vehicle.

The shooting occurred Sunday afternoon in a parking lot in Senatobia, about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. Marquell Bridges, a community advocate who is helping the family find an attorney, told The Associated Press that 1-year-old Kohen Wiley was killed and a friend of the boy’s mother was seriously injured.

The mother was not injured, Bridges said.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting, said in a statement that when Senatobia police officers arrived, they “encountered two subjects and a juvenile child fleeing from the store into a vehicle.”

The state agency said police tried to stop the vehicle, “but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one.” An officer then discharged their weapon, firing at the vehicle, according to the MBI.

The driver then drove to a nearby hospital, where the child was pronounced dead, the bureau said.

No law enforcement officers were seriously injured, the state agency said in its statement.

The Senatobia Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. In a Facebook post on Sunday, the department said it was “committed to full transparency.”

“As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible,” the department said.

The Tate County Sheriff’s Office was also on scene for the shooting. The office said in a news release that deputies had been responding to an unrelated incident when their assistance was requested.

“Please keep the family of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers,” the sheriff’s office said.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Bridges said the boy’s mother did not steal from Walmart “and was not a witness to or accomplice to any crime.”

“She was skipping and playing with her child kohen to the car moments earlier not fleeing a theft,” he said. “What started as an ordinary day, playing with your baby and getting into a car, turned into the worst day of a mother’s life and a tragedy this community will carry for years to come.”

He called on the police department to release body camera footage and store surveillance video.

Carlos Haynes, the child’s grandfather, told the AP that Kohen was a happy baby who had his life cut short.

“Someone ended it all before it could even start,” Haynes said.

The child’s family did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment on Tuesday.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said that it will turn its findings over to the Attorney General’s Office once the investigation is complete.

In a statement Tuesday, the city of Senatobia said it was committed to cooperating fully with the MBI’s independent investigation.

“We understand that emotions are high and that many questions remain. We respectfully ask our community to avoid speculation and the spread of unverified information while the investigation is underway,” the statement said.

It acknowledged the child’s death as a “a heartbreaking tragedy,” and extended condolences to the family. The city also asked for thoughts and prayers for law enforcement officers, first responders and anyone affected by this situation.

“We ask our community to continue responding with compassion, respect, and grace as we support all those affected during this difficult time,” the statement said.

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