Kohen Wiley, What happened to Kohen Wiley, Kohen Wiley case, Kohen Wiley shooting,
Kohen Wiley (Photo provided by Family)

Two months after the 1-year-old boy was shot and killed by officers in Senatobia, Mississippi, a call for transparency has continued to persist in the investigation regarding his death.

The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus is urging state officials to take immediate action and improve communication with the family of 1-year-old Kohen Wiley. Senatobia police fatally shot Wiley in June.

In an announcement made Monday, the caucus revealed it sent an open letter to Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Finch and Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, highlighting concerns about the investigation into Wiley’s death and what lawmakers called a lack of communication with the child’s family.

“What we heard was unacceptable,” Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Kabir Karriem said.

The caucus members, after speaking with Wiley’s family and their representatives, are asking officials to establish an immediate, clear point of contact with his family and provide them with updates as the investigation into his death continues. The family still has unanswered questions nearly two months after the child was shot after officers responding to an alleged shoplifting call at Walmart, where Wiley and his family members were walking out.

“Kohen Wiley was only one year old,” Karriem said. “His family deserves answers, respect, and the assurance that the institutions investigating his death are accountable to the people they serve.”

The case has raised larger questions about transparency regarding law enforcement shootings in the state, particularly in relation to the handling and release of body-cam footage. The issue is reportedly set to be addressed during the upcoming legislative session.

Following Wiley’s death on June 14, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has been investigating the shooting. However, the Black Caucus is joining a chorus of individuals, including Wiley’s family, desiring greater transparency as to whether officers acted inappropriately in the incident and other questions Wiley’s family has had since his tragic death.