Mississippi Officer Who Fatally Shot Baby Resigns After Being Cleared

Senatobia, Mississippi – A police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a one-year-old boy outside a Walmart has resigned from his position. Officer Hunter Foster, 32, left the Senatobia Police Department on Friday, following an investigation into the death of Kohen Wiley, who was shot in June.

Foster opened fire in the store's parking lot after the infant's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, and her friend, Latoya Ferrell, were accused of shoplifting and attempted to flee security. Footage released of the incident showed the two women running from officers toward a vehicle, which then allegedly accelerated toward them.

Officers surrounded the vehicle and shouted commands for it to stop before Foster discharged his weapon multiple times. Kohen Wiley, a passenger in the vehicle, was struck and tragically died from his injuries. Ferrell was also hit and hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities stated that Ferrell still has a bullet inside her and may require further surgery.

The Mississippi Attorney General's office announced this week that Foster and other officers involved would not face charges, as the shooting was determined to be justified. Despite this finding, Foster submitted his resignation on Friday.

Municipal officials confirmed Foster's departure, and his attorney, Martin Zummach, stated that Foster stands by his decision to fire his weapon. "The driver of the vehicle was attempting to kill those 5 officers, and Hunter Foster had no choice but to discharge his weapon," Zummach said in a statement. "We are very sad for the loss of life, but the outcome of the investigation was not only expected, but it was overdue."

Incident Details

According to reports, officers responded after an alarm was raised about two women allegedly shoplifting items, including diapers. The women reportedly ran to a vehicle in the parking lot. While officers surrounded the car and ordered it to stop, the vehicle lurched forward, leading to Foster's decision to shoot. Vellesiya Wiley stated she was holding her baby boy at the time of the shooting.

Bodycam footage captured the moment Foster was informed he had shot a baby, with the officer responding, "I didn't even see a baby in her f***ing lap."

Neither Wiley nor Ferrell have been charged with shoplifting or any other crime in connection with the shooting. The investigation concluded that Foster's use of deadly force was justified, a finding that has drawn criticism from the child's family and their representatives.

Family Outrage and Legal Scrutiny

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wiley family, condemned the official report, calling the shooting "excessive from the very start." Crump argued that officers should not have drawn their weapons for an alleged misdemeanor shoplifting incident and asserted that the bullet that killed Kohen Wiley was not justified.

"Diapers are something a mother needs for a child. Diapers should never cost a baby their life," Crump stated at a press conference. He also raised concerns about racial bias, adding, "This decision sends a message that a Black baby boy, his life is not as valuable as the white diapers that he is wrapped in."

This incident is not the first time Foster has faced scrutiny. It emerged after his identity became public that he had reportedly been disciplined by the police department for allegedly using a racist remark in front of a co-worker just two days prior to the shooting. Additionally, Foster was named in a lawsuit during his time as a deputy with the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office, alleging he and other deputies used excessive force during a traffic stop, which reportedly resulted in a woman's teeth being knocked out and her jaw broken. Foster's attorney denied those allegations, and a federal judge dismissed that lawsuit in March.