Mississippi city fires police chief after fatal shooting of one-year-old

The police chief of Senatobia, Mississippi, has been removed from his post, weeks after a city police officer fatally shot a one-year-old child during a shoplifting investigation.

The city's board of aldermen voted unanimously on Tuesday to dismiss Chief Harold Vanderford. Vanderford had submitted his resignation earlier the same day, but the board declined to accept it and instead terminated him, according to the city clerk.

The decision follows investigative reporting that alleged Vanderford used racist slurs in private text messages with a colleague. The city had previously affirmed its support for the chief in late August, stating he had answered questions from the mayor and board and would remain in his role.

The firing comes amid heightened tensions in the small town, where the death of Kohen Wiley in June sparked anger among Black residents. Kohen, who was Black, was killed when an officer fired into a vehicle during a response to a shoplifting call at a Walmart. His mother, Vellesiya Wiley, has denied any theft occurred, and no charges have been filed against her or a friend who was with her. Another woman was wounded in the shooting.

Alderman Demetrius Garrett said the board had a responsibility to protect the integrity of the police department, adding that unity means standing together for what is right rather than ignoring serious issues.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, called the firing the right decision. He argued that the racist language attributed to the chief explains why the family cannot simply trust the process, and he renewed calls for the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations to release body camera footage from the June 14 shooting.