Senatobia Police Chief Fired After Toddler Kohen Wiley's Death and Racist Texts

Mississippi's Senatobia board of aldermen unanimously fired Police Chief Harold Vanderford over racist texts and the fatal shooting of one-year-old Kohen Wiley.

Senatobia Fires Police Chief Following Infant's Shooting Death and Racist Text Revelations

The city of Senatobia, Mississippi, voted unanimously to fire Police Chief Harold Vanderford on Tuesday, ABC News US reports, days after media outlets alleged he had used racist slurs in private text messages with a colleague.

Vanderford submitted his resignation the same day, but the city's board of aldermen declined to accept it and instead moved formally to terminate his employment, according to the city clerk.

His dismissal follows reporting by The New York Times, Mississippi Today, and Verite News, which alleged the chief had exchanged racist language in private text conversations. The city had previously defended Vanderford in an Aug. 25 statement, noting he had appeared before the mayor and board to answer questions and would remain in his role.

The firing comes amid continued scrutiny over the June 14 shooting death of one-year-old Kohen Wiley. A Senatobia police officer shot into a vehicle while responding to a shoplifting call at a Walmart, fatally wounding Kohen and injuring another woman in the car. Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, denied that she or her companion stole anything. No charges have been filed against either of them.

Kohen was Black, as is his mother. His death intensified long-standing tensions between Black residents and the Senatobia Police Department.

Alderman Demetrius Garrett addressed the vote in a Facebook post. "I believe the Board has a responsibility to protect the integrity and trust of the Senatobia Police Department," he wrote. "I still believe in unity. But unity does not mean ignoring serious issues — it means standing together for what is right."

National civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Kohen's family, called the firing the "right decision" but pressed authorities to release further evidence. "The racist language that cost Chief Vanderford his job is exactly why this family cannot simply be told to trust the process," Crump said in a statement. He called on the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations to release body camera footage from the June 14 shooting. "Give this family the facts they have been owed since the day Kohen died."

The Associated Press contacted the Senatobia Police Department for comment; no response was reported.

Source: ABC News US