Mississippi officer who shot dead 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in Walmart lot resigns

The officer who killed toddler Kohen Wiley during a shoplifting pursuit in June has resigned from the Senatobia Police Department. No charges will be filed.

Officer resigns after fatal shooting of toddler Kohen Wiley in Mississippi Walmart car park

The Mississippi police officer who fired the shot that killed one-year-old Kohen Wiley in a Walmart car park in June has resigned from the Senatobia Police Department, abcnews.com reports. Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves confirmed the resignation on Friday, saying the board of aldermen accepted it on Wednesday, 21 October.

"The board of aldermen accepted his resignation Wednesday October 21st," Graves said. Asked whether the officer had been asked to leave or did so voluntarily, the mayor declined to comment. The Senatobia Police Department did not respond to requests for comment from ABC News.

The officer was identified by local media in June as Hunter Foster. He was initially placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) following the shooting on 14 June.

Foster's attorney, Martin Zummach, told The Associated Press that Foster had "no choice" but to fire because the fleeing car was driving towards him. ABC News also reached out to Zummach for further comment.

The Mississippi Attorney General's Office released the findings of its investigation on Monday, concluding that the use of force by the Senatobia Police Department was "justified" and that no charges would be filed. MBI released body camera footage and Walmart surveillance video from the incident on Thursday. Footage reviewed by ABC News shows the officer firing multiple shots at the vehicle as it appeared to move towards officers who had their weapons drawn.

At the time of the shooting, Kohen was inside the vehicle along with his mother and a friend who was driving, civil rights attorney Ben Crump — who represents the Wiley family — told ABC News. The shooting occurred during an alleged shoplifting pursuit.

Crump argued at a press conference on Thursday that the driver was attempting to flee, not strike the officers, and that police could have recorded the vehicle's licence plate to pursue the shoplifting allegation through other means.

"[Kohen] was killed over an allegation of shoplifting of diapers, and even if someone is charged, shoplifting diapers is a misdemeanor," Crump said. "I mean, it doesn't warrant the death penalty. It certainly doesn't warrant the death of 1-year-old baby Kohen."

Crump said the family is calling for a federal investigation into the case. He described the officer's actions as "excessive."

Kohen's maternal grandmother, Veronica Roberson, said she was "disgusted" after watching the footage on Thursday before its public release later that day.

"I watched the video this morning that disgusted me," Roberson said. "I feel like we have been done wrong. I watched an officer come from the inside of Walmart, not knowing what's going on, and run out with guns drawn. There's no justification for that."

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves defended both the investigation and police during a press conference on Wednesday, saying that while he had not personally viewed the body camera video, he has "trust" in the MBI and the state attorney general's office.

"Absolutely tragic, and anyone should be focused on praying for that loss of life, and the people who loved that young child, no question," Reeves said. He added that investigators found it was "very clear" that "the driver of the vehicle attempted to run over the policeman."

A spokesperson for the Senatobia police declined to comment on the attorney general's finding that the shooting was justified.

Separately, Graves also confirmed to ABC News on Friday the resignation of Senatobia interim police chief Angelica Maze. The reasons and timing of her departure remain unclear. Maze was not serving as chief at the time of the shooting; she had taken on the interim role afterwards.

"She resigned as interim chief and returned to her previous position," Graves said. "LaMorris Hampton will be the new interim [police chief]."

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Maze had thanked the public for its patience during the investigation.

"We understand that people may have questions, concerns, and strong emotions, and we respect everyone's right to express their views peacefully," she said. "Open communication and cooperation between residents and law enforcement are essential as we move forward together."

ABC News reached out to Maze for comment but received no response.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)