The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has released body camera footage related to the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, who was killed in a Walmart parking lot on June 14. The release followed the Mississippi Attorney General's Office's announcement that its investigation concluded the use of force by the Senatobia Police Department was justified.

Kohen Wiley's family, who viewed the footage privately before its public release, has criticized the state attorney general's decision not to pursue charges against the officers involved. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, stated that after reviewing the video, they believe the officer's actions were excessive and unwarranted.

During a press conference on Thursday, family members expressed their grief and disbelief, with Crump emphasizing the perceived disproportionate response. He highlighted that the child was killed during an alleged shoplifting incident involving diapers, which he noted is typically a misdemeanor offense, questioning why it would warrant such a deadly outcome.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves defended the investigation's integrity on Wednesday, stating his trust in the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General's office. While he had not personally viewed the body camera footage, Governor Reeves confirmed investigators found the vehicle's driver attempted to run over an officer, a key point in the justification of the police action.

The incident unfolded when officers responded to a shoplifting call at a Senatobia Walmart. According to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation's redacted report, two adults were attempting to flee the store with a child and entered a vehicle. As officers tried to prevent the vehicle from leaving, one officer discharged their weapon as the car accelerated toward them.

The report indicates that the child, Kohen Wiley, sustained fatal injuries, and one adult was critically injured. The two adults involved in the alleged shoplifting, identified by Crump as Kohen's mother and a friend, were not charged in connection with the incident, according to the family's legal representation.

Crump has called for a federal investigation into the shooting, arguing that the officer could have avoided the situation by moving out of the vehicle's path instead of resorting to lethal force. The family maintains that the events leading to Kohen's death were excessive from the outset and are seeking further accountability.

Questions remain regarding the specific sequence of events captured on the body camera footage and the exact actions of both the officers and the driver of the vehicle. The family's legal team intends to continue advocating for a federal review, believing it is necessary to fully address the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of the 1-year-old.