Mississippi officer resigns after state clears him in shooting that killed 1-year-old boy

A Mississippi police officer who fatally shot 1-year-old Kohen Wiley during a June encounter outside a Walmart in Senatobia has resigned after state officials said he would not face criminal charges. Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves confirmed the departure, and the city accepted the resignation on Oct. 21, with the change taking effect immediately.

What happened in the Walmart parking lot

According to the source, Officer Hunter Foster fired into a vehicle during a police response tied to a suspected shoplifting incident. The shooting happened on June 14 in the Walmart parking lot in Senatobia. Wiley died at the scene.

The account says officers approached the vehicle with weapons drawn. The vehicle then backed up and moved forward, and the driver nearly struck an officer before Foster fired as the vehicle moved toward officers.

• Location: Walmart parking lot in Senatobia, Mississippi
• Date of incident: June 14
• Victim: Kohen Wiley, 1 year old
• Officer involved: Hunter Foster
• Resignation effective: Oct. 21, 2026

State investigators said the shooting was justified

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office ruled that Foster’s use of force was justified and said he would not face criminal charges, according to the source. State officials concluded there was no criminal wrongdoing by Foster.

Foster’s resignation came days after that determination. The source says the officer left the Senatobia Police Department after the state’s review was complete.

Body-camera video and the disputed account

Body-camera footage released on Oct. 22 shows officers approaching the vehicle with their weapons drawn. The video also shows the vehicle backing up and moving forward before Foster steps away from it and fires, according to the source.

The family of Kohen Wiley, represented by attorney Ben Crump, disputes the decision not to bring charges and is seeking a federal investigation. Their challenge comes as state authorities maintain that Foster’s actions were lawful.

Why this case matters

For ordinary readers, the case raises questions about how police use force during fast-moving encounters involving vehicles and how those decisions are reviewed afterward. It also highlights the gap that can remain between a state finding of justified force and a family’s demand for a separate federal review.

The resignation does not change the state’s conclusion, but it does close Foster’s time with the Senatobia Police Department. The central facts of the case remain the same: a police response outside a store, a child killed in the encounter, and a legal review that ended without criminal charges.

Source: Chris Pugh, cleveland.com