Black Residents Warned of Abusive Cops for Years. Then Police Shot and Killed a Toddler.
In the Mississippi town where Kohen Wiley died, community members had urged leaders to rein in the police. Are they listening now? The post Black Residents Warned of Abusive Cops for Years. Then Police Shot and Killed a Toddler. appeared first on The Intercept .
In Senatobia, Mississippi, a young boy named Kohen Wiley was tragically shot and killed by police outside a Walmart. Kohen, who was only 19 months old, was in his mother's car when the police officer fired multiple shots, killing him instantly. The incident sparked outrage and protests in the small town, with many Black residents alleging that police had a history of abusing and treating them with contempt.
Despite these claims, the Senatobia police department remained largely silent on the matter, and it took several days for the mayor to even mention the child's name in a scripted video statement. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation, but updates on the case were delayed for months. The family's civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, took up their case, but he faced criticism for allegedly exploiting the tragedy for profit.
As the family mourned their loss, the Walmart remained quiet, and a white woman defended the protests, stating that they were peaceful. The incident has raised questions about the treatment of Black residents by law enforcement and the need for accountability and justice in cases of police misconduct.
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