Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced Wednesday that a preliminary autopsy suggests 1-year-old Kohen Wiley was shot from the side of the car, not the front, challenging the police account that the vehicle was heading toward officers. The baby's mother, who was holding him in the passenger seat, says the driver was fleeing from police, not driving toward them.
Autopsy Findings Contradict Police Narrative
The preliminary autopsy, requested by the family, indicates the bullet entered Kohen's right torso and exited on his left side. Crump noted clusters of cuts on the right side of the baby's chest and abdomen consistent with broken tempered glass from the passenger-side window, which was shattered. "That's very important as we try to solve a puzzle," Crump said at a press conference at Senatobia Church of Christ. He emphasized that the pathologist lacked complete information, including police body camera and dashcam footage, as well as Walmart surveillance video.
Incident Details and Community Outrage
The shooting occurred on June 14 in Senatobia, Mississippi, after police were called to a Walmart parking lot over possibly shoplifted diapers. Kohen and his mother are Black, and the incident has sparked protests and outrage in the small town, where residents cite a history of troubling encounters with police. The mother believed her friend had paid for the diapers. State investigators initially reported that officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove toward them, almost striking one, prompting an officer to fire. The vehicle fled, and another woman in the car was seriously wounded.
Demand for Transparency and Video Release
Crump, who represented the families of George Floyd and other Black victims of police violence, questioned why an officer would shoot knowing a child was in the car. "They want us to believe that it was a life-or-death situation," he said. "They told us that, but they have not showed us that." He called for the release of all video evidence, including body camera, dashcam, and Walmart surveillance footage. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, leading the inquiry, declined to comment. Tate County Coroner Ernie Lentz stated the official autopsy is not yet complete. Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford and a Walmart spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
Expert Analysis on Shooting Dynamics
Policing expert Ian Adams, who teaches criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from bullet wounds alone. Investigators must determine the vehicle's position, where occupants were seated, and where officers stood. "We need to know a lot more before drawing firm conclusions based on bullet wounds alone," Adams said. He emphasized that damage to the car and bullet trajectories must be analyzed, as people can move after being shot.
Comparisons to Other Police Killings
The killing has drawn comparisons to other instances where Black people died over accusations of petty crimes, such as the murder of George Floyd. At the church, photos and diagrams of Kohen's body and the damaged car were displayed. The passenger window was shattered, and a bullet hole pierced the windshield on the passenger side. Crump said the family will not rest until authorities release all video footage, demanding transparency in the investigation.
