A police officer in Mississippi, United States, has resigned months after fatally shooting one-year-old Kohen Wiley during an incident in a Walmart car park.

Hunter Foster’s resignation was confirmed by Senatobia Mayor Greg Graves on Friday, October 23, 2026, following the release of body-camera footage showing the June 14 encounter.

The resignation came days after Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch concluded that Foster’s use of deadly force was justified, following a months-long investigation into the shooting.

The incident occurred in the car park of a Walmart store in Senatobia, about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee, after officers responded to a report of alleged shoplifting.

According to authorities, officers approached a vehicle occupied by Kohen, his mother, Vellesiya Wiley, and her friend as they attempted to leave the scene.

Officials said the driver reversed the vehicle and struck a parked car before moving forward in the direction of officers, nearly hitting one of them.

Foster fired at the vehicle as it moved away. The gunfire struck Kohen, who was sitting on his mother’s lap in the front passenger seat, and wounded another person.

The child was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Footage released by Mississippi authorities shows officers approaching the vehicle with their guns drawn before it reverses and moves forward.

The footage also shows Foster positioning himself in front of the vehicle before firing through the front passenger-side window.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Kohen’s family, disputed the conclusion that the officer faced an imminent threat when he fired. Crump said the footage raised further questions about the circumstances of the shooting and called for a federal investigation.

Kohen’s mother has also said she was holding her son and trying to make officers aware that a child was inside the vehicle.

On October 19, Attorney General Lynn Fitch announced that Foster’s use of deadly force was justified.

The decision followed an investigation into the shooting and drew criticism from the family’s legal representatives, who said the state’s conclusion did not resolve their concerns about the child’s death.

Crump described Foster’s resignation as insufficient to establish accountability, arguing that leaving the police force did not remove responsibility for the shooting.

The family’s legal team has called for a federal investigation and for Foster to lose his police certification, which could prevent him from joining another law enforcement agency.

However, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesperson Alex Gibert confirmed that Foster remained certified as a police officer following his resignation.

Kohen’s mother and her friend have not been charged in connection with the alleged shoplifting incident.

The case has renewed debate over police use of deadly force, particularly when children are present during encounters involving suspected property crimes.