The great-grandmother of a young boy killed by police gunfire in Mississippi has spoken out against the incident. Carolyn Stokes, 72, criticized what she called the ‘reckless’ actions of an officer who shot into a vehicle during a shoplifting response at a Walmart in Senatobia. The shooting resulted in the death of her 1-year-old great-grandson, Kohen Wiley.

Stokes questioned the necessity of firing into a car suspected of fleeing from a store. She expressed confusion over why officers didn’t simply enter the store. ‘It was reckless,’ Stokes stated in a Newsweek interview. ‘Why draw your weapon on alleged shoplifters?’ She emphasized her belief in divine justice, asserting, ‘God has the last say; he will bring this all to the forefront in due time.’

The officer in question is on administrative leave while the investigation continues. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation reported that officers approached a vehicle with ‘two subjects and a juvenile’ leaving Walmart. As the vehicle moved towards the officers, one officer fired a weapon. The vehicle later arrived at a hospital, where Kohen Wiley was declared deceased, and another individual suffered critical injuries. Officers involved sustained no serious injuries.

Kohen’s mother and a friend were in the car at the time. The mother was unharmed, but her friend was injured. Marquell Bridges, a local advocate, stated that Kohen’s mother was not involved in the alleged theft and was playing with her child moments before the incident. ‘She was not fleeing a theft,’ Bridges wrote online.

Carlos Haynes, Kohen’s grandfather, expressed his devastation over his grandson’s death, telling the Associated Press of his hopes for the child’s future, which were tragically cut short.

Bailey Martin, from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, confirmed the investigation is ongoing without providing further details. The Senatobia Police Department has pledged thorough investigation and transparency, promising to share verified facts as they emerge.