The great-grandmother of Kohen Wiley, a 1-year-old boy fatally shot by a police officer, has spoken out against what she describes as ‘reckless’ gunfire. The incident occurred while the officer was responding to a shoplifting call in Senatobia, Mississippi.
Carolyn Stokes, 72, questioned the actions of the officer who fired into a vehicle outside a Walmart on Sunday. During an interview with Newsweek, she expressed disbelief at the officer’s decision to use a weapon. ‘It was reckless,’ Stokes said. ‘Why draw your weapon on potential shoplifters?’
Stokes, a resident of Sardis, accused the officer of impulsively reacting to the situation. ‘It was just reckless, crazy,’ she stated. Although not a psychiatrist, she believed the officer’s actions suggested ulterior motives. ‘God has the last say; he will bring this to the forefront in due time,’ she concluded before ending the interview.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking into the case. Their statement indicates officers approached ‘two subjects and a juvenile’ fleeing into a vehicle. The officers attempted to stop the vehicle, which allegedly drove toward them. An officer discharged their weapon, and the vehicle later arrived at a local hospital. There, Kohen was pronounced dead, and another person sustained critical injuries. Notably, no officers were seriously injured.
Inside the vehicle during the incident were Kohen, his mother, and her friend. Kohen’s mother was unharmed, but her friend was critically injured. Local advocate Marquell Bridges shared on Facebook that the mother was not involved in any theft. ‘She was skipping and playing with her child Kohen to the car moments earlier,’ he wrote.
Kohen’s grandfather, Carlos Haynes, expressed his grief, lamenting the loss before his grandson’s life truly began. ‘Someone ended it all before it could even start,’ he told the Associated Press.
Despite being approached for more details, Bailey Martin, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing but declined to comment further.
Officials in Senatobia promise a thorough investigation into the shooting. They assured the public of their commitment to transparency, vowing to share verified information as the investigation continues. ‘As the investigation progresses, we will share as much information as possible,’ the police department stated on Facebook.