Mississippi officer who killed toddler resigns days after state clears shooting

Key points

• Hunter Foster turned in his badge and gun shortly after the Mississippi Attorney General’s office deemed the fatal shooting of Kohen Wiley a justified use of force.
• The Senatobia board of aldermen accepted Foster’s resignation on October 21, with the departure taking effect immediately.
• Mississippi authorities released body-camera and surveillance footage on October 23, showing the officer firing into a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot.
• The child’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, and her friend were accused of shoplifting but have not been charged; they deny stealing diapers.
• Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, called for a federal investigation and for Foster to be decertified, arguing the response was excessive.

Background

The shooting occurred on June 14, 2026, in Senatobia, Mississippi, approximately 40 miles south of Memphis. Kohen Wiley, who would have turned two on November 1, was killed while in a vehicle with his mother and another woman. The incident sparked local protests and vigils. Prior to the resignation, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation concluded the officer acted lawfully during a response to a shoplifting report, a decision that drew sharp criticism from the family and civil rights groups who argued the investigation was incomplete and the video evidence contradicted the claim that the car was driving toward officers.

How outlets are covering it

NBC News reports that Foster’s lawyer, Martin Zummach, stated the officer resigned for the good of the city and denied knowing a child was in the car, claiming the team was investigating an unrelated sexual assault case. The Guardian notes that while the state cleared the officer, the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, called the shooting unjustified and highlighted the racial dynamics, stating the decision sends a message that a Black baby’s life is not valued. BBC reports that the released footage shows the officer firing as the car passed, with Zummach asserting the driver was attempting to kill the officers, while the family disputes this account. All sources agree that no charges have been filed against the women involved in the alleged shoplifting.

Why it matters

The resignation of the officer involved in the fatal shooting of a toddler highlights ongoing tensions regarding police accountability and racial disparities in law enforcement responses. The release of body-camera footage and the state’s justification of the shooting have intensified calls for federal oversight and decertification of the officer, reflecting broader national debates on police use of force and the protection of Black children.

What to watch

The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, is pushing for a federal investigation into the shooting and for Foster to be decertified, which would prevent him from serving as a police officer in other jurisdictions. The case may face further legal scrutiny as the family seeks accountability and the public awaits potential federal reviews of the state’s decision.