Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired Tuesday following allegations of sending racist text messages. The termination comes months after officers from his department were involved in the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley outside a Walmart.
The Senatobia Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to fire Vanderford, declining to accept a resignation letter he submitted earlier the same day, according to attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Wiley family. The city has not immediately commented on the reason for the firing or the vote's specifics.
Vanderford's firing followed reports from The New York Times, Mississippi Today, and Verite News detailing text messages dating back to last summer in which he allegedly used degrading language and racist slurs against Black individuals. Vanderford has not responded to requests for comment.
"Removing this chief was the right decision, and the Senatobia Board of Aldermen deserves credit for acting,” Crump stated. “But it does not answer the question Kohen's family has been asking since June 14: what happened to their baby?”
Mayor Greg Graves and the Board of Aldermen had previously met with Vanderford on August 26 regarding the published text messages. At that time, a city statement indicated Vanderford had answered all questions sincerely and would continue to serve with confidence.
Investigation into Wiley Shooting Continues
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) is leading the investigation into the June 14 shooting death of Kohen Wiley. The incident occurred when officers responded to a shoplifting call at a Senatobia Walmart. According to the MBI, officers encountered two adults and a child allegedly fleeing the store in a vehicle. The Wiley family attorneys stated the adults were accused of stealing diapers.
When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, one fired their weapon when the driver allegedly drove toward them. The 1-year-old, Kohen Wiley, was killed, and a family friend in the vehicle was critically injured, according to the attorneys. Wiley's mother was also in the vehicle.
The MBI has not yet released any surveillance or body camera footage of the incident. Attorneys for the Wiley family have called for the MBI to release this video.