Mississippi authorities released bodycam footage capturing the fatal shooting of one-year-old Kohen Wiley by Senatobia police officer Sgt. Hunter Foster during a shoplifting response last June. The incident unfolded when police arrived at a Walmart store following a call reporting that nappies and baby clothes had allegedly been stolen.

Officers attempted to block a vehicle in the parking area as two women and the child walked toward it. Newly released footage shows the vehicle moving toward the officers, nearly striking one of them. In response, Sgt. Foster opened fire on the moving car, fatally hitting the infant and critically injuring the driver, Latoya Ferrell.

The aftermath of the shooting has ignited intense fury and conflicting accounts. The victim’s mother has vehemently denied the shoplifting allegations, asserting neither she nor the driver has ever been charged with a crime. She stated that she lifted her young son up from her lap to clearly show officers he was inside the vehicle just moments before they opened fire.

The family alleged that footage of the encounter shows the shooting was not justified.

Despite the harrowing footage and public outcry, the Mississippi Attorney General’s office concluded a months-long investigation by determining that Foster’s use of force was appropriate. Legal representation for the officer maintained that Foster had no alternative but to discharge his weapon to prevent the vehicle from striking him.