Senatobia Resignations Follow Fatal Shooting of Toddler
Goldlaner.com – A Mississippi officer and interim police chief have resigned after Officer Hunter Foster fatally shot 1-year-old Kohen Wiley during a June encounter outside a Senatobia Walmart. The incident began after officers responded to a reported shoplifting call and has prompted renewed questions about police conduct in the north Mississippi city.
Foster resigned, according to city clerk Katie Harbin and Mayor Greg Graves. Interim Police Chief Angelica Maze also stepped down from the chief’s role but will remain employed by the Senatobia Police Department in another position.
The resignations followed the Mississippi attorney general’s decision not to pursue criminal charges against Foster. The state concluded there was insufficient evidence of criminal conduct to present the case to a grand jury.
What Happened Outside the Senatobia Walmart?
Body-camera video released by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety shows Kohen’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, carrying him as she and a friend leave the Walmart and approach a vehicle shortly before 2 p.m. on June 14.
Officers and Tate County sheriff’s deputies entered the parking lot after receiving a report that “two girls are running.” Footage shows a deputy attempting to open the driver’s door as the women got into the vehicle.
As officers shouted commands for the vehicle to stop, the driver backed out and struck a vehicle behind her. The car then moved in the direction of at least one officer, according to the state’s account of the encounter.
Foster, who was near the front passenger side of the vehicle, fired into the car. Video later shows him saying he did not know a baby was inside. The women drove away after the gunfire, and Kohen was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. One woman was critically injured.
Why Did the Mississippi Officer and Interim Police Leadership Resign?
The Mississippi officer and interim police leadership changes came days after Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced that her office had completed its review of the shooting. Her office relied on an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and declined to send the case to a grand jury.
“After a thorough investigation, into this matter there is insufficient evidence of any criminal conduct to present this case to a grand jury.”
State officials previously said officers tried to stop the vehicle and that the driver moved toward them, nearly striking an officer. Wiley has disputed that account, arguing that her friend did not intentionally drive at officers.
The case has focused attention on how a response to an alleged shoplifting offense escalated into gunfire, what officers could see inside the vehicle, and whether different decisions could have prevented Kohen’s death.
Family and Attorneys Dispute the State’s Conclusion
Kohen’s family and civil rights attorney Ben Crump criticized the finding that Foster’s actions were justified. They said officers escalated the confrontation before the vehicle began moving.
“The bullet that killed 1-year-old baby Kohen Wiley was not justified.”
Foster’s attorney, Martin Zummach, defended the officer, saying the driver posed an immediate threat to law enforcement officers. He said Foster had no choice but to fire and expressed sadness over the child’s death.
The Mississippi officer and interim police departures add to wider concerns about trust in Senatobia’s police department. Last month, former Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired following allegations that he used racist slurs in private text messages.
Senatobia FAQ
Who resigned after the Kohen Wiley shooting? Officer Hunter Foster resigned from the Senatobia Police Department. Angelica Maze resigned as interim police chief but remains employed by the department in another role.
Will Officer Foster face criminal charges? The Mississippi attorney general’s office said it found insufficient evidence of criminal conduct to take the case before a grand jury and declined prosecution.
Where did the shooting happen? The shooting occurred outside a Walmart in Senatobia, Mississippi, during a police response to a reported shoplifting incident.
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