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On Sunday, June 14, 2026, a police shooting in the parking lot of the Walmart on U.S. Highway 51 in Senatobia left a one-year-old child, Kohen Wiley, dead and an adult passenger critically injured. The shooting has drawn national attention and calls from the family and community for the release of body-camera and surveillance video. What happened is disputed, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) is conducting an independent criminal investigation.
This article explains, in neutral terms, the legal questions a case like this raises under Mississippi and federal law — and the rights of families affected by a police-involved shooting. We are not drawing conclusions about any officer’s conduct; those facts are still being investigated.
What has been reported
According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, officers from the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Department responded to a shoplifting call at the Walmart on June 14. The MBI says officers encountered two adults and a child getting into a car, attempted to stop the vehicle, and that the driver “drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one,” at which point an officer fired and the vehicle drove away (MBI statement, via the Associated Press).
The family disputes that account. According to reporting by the Associated Press, relatives say the car was driving away — not toward officers — when the shots were fired, and that the child’s mother was holding him in the passenger seat. The driver, a family friend, was critically wounded; the child, Kohen Wiley, was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The officer who fired was placed on administrative leave, and the officer’s identity had not been officially released as of this writing. The MBI is gathering body-camera, dash-camera, and store video. These are competing accounts of an incident still under investigation; nothing here should be read as a finding about any person.
How Mississippi law handles officer-involved shootings
Under Miss. Code Ann. § 45-1-6, the MBI investigates officer-involved shootings in Mississippi. That investigation gathers the scene evidence and video and is separate from any civil claim a family may bring. Because criminal and civil tracks run on different timelines and standards, families often consult a lawyer early so that evidence — especially video — is preserved and properly requested.
Wrongful death of a child
When a child dies because of another’s wrongful act, Mississippi’s wrongful death statute (Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13) allows the parents to bring a claim. Recoverable losses can include funeral and medical expenses, the loss of the child’s society and companionship, and, in some cases, the child’s conscious pain and suffering. Only one wrongful death action may be filed, so families benefit from coordinating early.
Federal civil-rights claims and the use of deadly force
When a person is harmed by a government officer, the main federal tool for accountability is 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which allows lawsuits for violations of constitutional rights. In a police-shooting case, the key question is usually whether the use of force was “objectively reasonable” under the Fourth Amendment, judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene (Graham v. Connor, 1989).
Deadly force has its own limits. Under Tennessee v. Garner (1985), an officer generally may not use deadly force to stop a fleeing person unless the officer has probable cause to believe the person poses a significant threat of death or serious injury. Many departments also have specific policies restricting firing at moving vehicles, in part because a disabled vehicle can become uncontrolled and because occupants behind the target may be hit. Whether those standards were met here is exactly what the investigation — and any video — will help determine.
The hurdles: qualified immunity and municipal liability
Two doctrines often shape these cases:
- Qualified immunity. Government officials can be shielded from civil damages unless they violated a “clearly established” right. In the Fifth Circuit, which covers Mississippi, this can be a significant hurdle and often turns on the precise facts and prior court decisions.
- Municipal liability (Monell). A city or county can be liable under § 1983 only if an official “policy, custom, or practice” caused the violation — a separate, fact-intensive showing.
These are general legal principles, not conclusions about this case.
State-law claims and a short deadline
A family may also have state-law claims. Claims against government entities in Mississippi fall under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act (Miss. Code Ann. § 11-46-1 et seq.), which generally requires a formal notice of claim and a lawsuit within one year (Miss. Code Ann. § 11-46-11) — much shorter than the deadline for ordinary injury cases. Missing that window can end a claim before it begins.
Why video and early action matter
In police-shooting cases, body-camera, dash-camera, and store-surveillance video are often the most important evidence. Families and their attorneys frequently send preservation letters and make formal requests so that footage is not lost while the official investigation proceeds. Acting early also protects the one-year Tort Claims Act deadline.
How Van Every Law can help
Van Every Law represents Mississippi families in wrongful death and serious-injury matters across North Mississippi and the Golden Triangle. If your family has been affected by a police-involved shooting or another sudden loss, we can help you understand your options, push for the preservation and release of video, and protect critical deadlines while the investigation continues. Consultations are free and confidential.
Frequently asked questions
Who can file a wrongful death claim when a child dies in Mississippi?
Under Miss. Code Ann. § 11-7-13, the child’s parents are generally entitled to bring the claim. Only one wrongful death action may be filed, so families should coordinate.
Can a family sue over a police shooting?
A family may bring a federal civil-rights claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and, in some cases, state-law claims. These cases face defenses such as qualified immunity and require careful, fact-specific proof, which is why early legal advice matters.
How do we make sure the video isn’t lost?
An attorney can send a preservation (“spoliation”) letter and formal records requests quickly. Because state law sets a one-year deadline for claims against government entities, acting promptly is important.
Original reporting: apnews.com.