By Karim Hammam
A fire broke out at the Senatobia police department in Mississippi on October 31, 2026, and is being investigated as arson by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The department has been under intense scrutiny since one of its officers shot and killed a one-year-old Black toddler, Kohen Wiley, in June.
Arson investigation and arrest
An arrest was made on Monday in connection with the fire, but authorities have not released any details about the person of interest. The ongoing investigation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Background: Fatal shooting of Kohen Wiley
In June, then-Sergeant Hunter Foster shot Kohen Wiley as the child sat in his mother's arms in a Walmart parking lot. Foster, who is white, was responding to a reported shoplifting incident; Kohen, his mother, and the driver of the vehicle are Black. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation alleged the driver drove toward officers, but an independent autopsy commissioned by the family's attorney, Ben Crump, indicated Kohen was shot from the side of the car.
Attorney general rules shooting justified
In mid-October, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch declared the shooting "justified" in a public statement. Foster resigned from the force shortly after the announcement. The ruling prompted protests and sharp criticism from Kohen's family and community activists.
History of police misconduct in Senatobia
The shooting followed a series of controversies involving the Senatobia police force. The month before Fitch's statement, the police chief was fired over alleged use of racial slurs. A year earlier, an officer forced a Black woman from her car at gunpoint in the same Walmart parking lot. In 2023, a 10-year-old Black boy was arrested and sentenced to probation for public urination.
Community response
Activists and community members have held protests demanding accountability, including a demonstration outside the police department. The Senatobia Committee for Accountability and Transparency organized a birthday giveaway at the city's community center to mark what would have been Kohen's second birthday.
