A Mississippi family is calling for the immediate release of video footage after their 1-year-old son, Kohen Wiley, was fatally shot by police opening fire on a moving vehicle in a Senatobia Walmart parking lot.

Dispute Over Events Leading to Gunfire

A dispute has emerged over the moments leading up to the gunfire. The family states the vehicle was driving away from the police, while authorities contend it was moving directly toward them.

According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI), when Senatobia police officers arrived at the Walmart, they observed two women and a child getting into a car and attempting to drive away. The MBI statement said, ‘Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged their weapon and the vehicle fled the scene.’

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump told reporters that the fastest way to resolve the conflicting accounts is to publicly release all body camera, dash camera, and Walmart security footage. Crump questioned the tactical decisions made by the officers on the scene, asking why police did not simply let the car leave and record the license plate number instead of opening fire.

Kohen’s mother has stated that the initial shoplifting call involved a box of diapers her friend was carrying, which she believes her friend had already paid for. State investigators have declined to comment on those specific details.

Investigation and Autopsy

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken over the inquiry into the killing and has made the case a top priority. The family will have an independent autopsy performed on the child to determine the angles at which the bullets struck the child, which could provide critical clues about whether the officer was in immediate danger of being struck.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.