Mississippi officer resigns after fatal shooting of toddler
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The gist
Senatobia officer Hunter Foster resigned after shooting 1-year-old Kohen Wiley in a car outside Walmart.
The state had cleared the shooting as justified; the family wants him de-certified.
Background
Hunter Foster is a 33-year-old officer with the Senatobia Police Department in Senatobia, Mississippi, a small town about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. On June 14, 2026, officers and Tate County deputies followed 1-year-old Kohen Wiley's mother and her friend to their car outside a Walmart; the driver drove toward officers, nearly striking one, and Foster fired into the car, killing the toddler. The shooting drew national outrage and became the latest in a string of incidents that residents say have eroded trust in local police. Foster's resignation was confirmed by Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves on October 23, 2026, days after the state released body-camera video and concluded the use of force was justified.
How it unfolded
- Jun 14, 2026Senatobia officers and Tate County deputies followed Kohen's mother and her friend to their car outside a Walmart; the driver drove toward officers, almost striking one, and Foster shot into the car, killing 1-year-old Kohen Wiley.
- Jun 18, 2026A memorial to Kohen Wiley was seen outside the Walmart in Senatobia, Mississippi.
- Sep 2026Former Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford was fired following reports alleging he used racist slurs in private texts, according to the Associated Press.
- Oct 19, 2026Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch concluded the officer's use of force was justified, announced this week.
- Oct 22, 2026The state released videos of the fatal shooting, including Foster's body-worn camera footage; attorney Ben Crump and Kohen's family criticized the justification decision at a news conference.
- Oct 23, 2026Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves confirmed that officer Hunter Foster had resigned.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch said the state's investigation concluded the officer's use of force was justified.
- Support
- Foster's attorney Martin Zummach said the driver was attempting to kill the five officers and Foster had no choice but to fire, calling the investigation's outcome expected and overdue.
- Caution
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Kohen's family, said the shooting was excessive from the start, that officers came out with guns drawn over a shoplifting misdemeanor, and that the bullet that killed the toddler was not justified.
- Party
- Attorney Van Turner said Foster should be de-certified so he cannot join another police department and do the same thing; a Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson said Foster remained certified.
Still unverified
Foster later told another law enforcement official that he couldn't see a baby was in the car, according to body camera video cited in reporting.