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Madison native, Mississippi State commit preparing to play in All-American Game

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Madison native, Mississippi State commit preparing to play in All-American Game


JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – On Saturday in San Antonio, the best high school football seniors in the country will be in San Antonio playing in the 2024 All-American Bowl. Included in that list is offensive lineman Jimothy Lewis Jr.

Lewis Jr., a Madison native and Mississippi State commit, played his high school football at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, and is excited to play on the same field as the most talented high school players in the country.

“Guys just come from all around the country to play in that game. It just lets you know there’s talent everywhere, lets you see there’s better people better than you. It’s crazy,” Lewis Jr. said.

Montra Edwards, the defensive coordinator at Hazlehurst High School, has been working with Lewis Jr. on and off for a few years. He was not surprised to learn of his invite to the All-American Bowl.

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“He’s been working hard ever since I’ve known him,” Edwards said. “He comes in, he busts his butt; great kid, smart kid, loves to work, and embraces the grind.”

Lewis Jr. is one of three Mississippi players who will be playing in the game, being joined by Meridian’s Daniel Hill and Houston’s William Echoles. Lewis Jr. is proud to represent the Magnolia State on the national stage.

“It puts Mississippi on the spot,” he said. “There’s good players here, kids come in here, train, doing stuff like that; it helps them.”

“He’s laying the legacy down, showing them that, ‘I’m a guy from Mississippi, I deserve to be in big time all-star games. When I get there, I’m going to compete just like everybody else,’” Edwards said.

Lewis Jr. said his only goal for this weekend is to get on the field and make an impact, but Edwards knows he will make his mark.

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“I expect him to dominate,” he said.

The All-American Bowl will be played in San Antonio’s Alamodome on Saturday. The game will kick off at noon central time, and it will air on NBC.

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Mississippi police shooting: How Walmart shoplifting call ended in baby’s death

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Mississippi police shooting: How Walmart shoplifting call ended in baby’s death


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The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating a shoplifting call that resulted in the death of a one-year-old child in Northwest Mississippi.

The incident, which occurred on June 14, has led the family to hire a civil rights attorney, and the officer involved is facing repercussions. Protests have also broken out in response to the city’s lack of action against the officers involved in the incident.

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Here is what to know about the situation so far.

Why were policed called to the Walmart in Senatobia?

On June 14, police were called to the Walmart on U.S. 51 in Senatobia regarding a shoplifting incident. Officers with the Senatobia Police Department and the Tate County Sheriff’s Office responded and, upon arrival, saw two subjects and a child fleeing from the store into a vehicle.

According to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, officers attempted to stop the vehicle as the driver drove toward them. One officer shot into the car as the car fled the scene.

Later, the subjects arrived at the local hospital, where the child, 1-year-old Kohen Wiley, was pronounced dead and another subject had critical injuries.

What happened to the officer?

On June 16, the city of Senatobia announced the police officer who shot and killed Wiley was placed on leave.

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The announcement came shortly after police deployed tear gas on a group of protestors outside the Walmart where the incident took place. The Walmart was temporarily closed but reopened around 8:20 a.m., according to WMC Action News 5, The Commercial Appeal’s broadcast partner.

“We’re saddened by what took place at our Senatobia, MS, store,” a Walmart spokesperson told WMC. “The safety of our associates and customers is a top priority. We’re working with law enforcement as they continue investigating.”

Is the family taking legal action?

Wiley’s family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, the attorney’s office announced on June 16.

“A 1-year-old child is dead because police officers in Mississippi opened fire on a car in a crowded Walmart parking lot,” said Crump in the statement. “Kohen Wiley was a baby. His mother, who has not been charged with any crime, says she was trying to communicate to officers that there was a baby in the car. They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old. We intend to seek justice for baby Kohen and the life that was stolen from him.”

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Where is Senatobia?

Senatobia is roughly 40 miles directly south of Memphis and sits along Interstate 55 in Mississippi. According to the most recent Census, the city has a population of approximately 8,400 people.

Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com



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1-year-old child killed and 1 person injured after Mississippi police shoot at car

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1-year-old child killed and 1 person injured after Mississippi police shoot at car


A 1-year-old boy is dead and another person wounded after a Mississippi police officer shot at a vehicle while responding to a shoplifting call, according to authorities and the child’s grandfather.

The child’s mother, her friend and 1-year-old Kohen Wiley were in the vehicle during the shooting on Sunday, Marquell Bridges, a community advocate who is helping the family find legal representation, said. Wiley’s mother was physically unharmed, but her friend was seriously injured, said Bridges, the president and founder of an advocacy group called the Building Bridges Coalition.

The three had gotten into the vehicle after exiting a Walmart in Senatobia, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. As police tried to stop the vehicle, the driver drove toward them and almost hit an officer, according to the bureau, which is investigating the shooting. An officer then shot at the vehicle, which drove away.

The two women drove to a hospital, where Kohen was pronounced dead.

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Carlos Haynes described his grandson as a happy baby and said he was looking forward to watching him grow.

“Someone ended it all before it could even start,” Haynes said.

The Senatobia Police Department, which responded to the call, did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ inquiries.

“As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible,” the department wrote in a Facebook post.

The Tate County Sheriff’s Office, which was also present during the shooting, declined to comment.

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Walmart said it is working with law enforcement during the investigation.

“We’re saddened by what took place at our Senatobia, MS, store,” a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement.

Senatobia is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Memphis, Tennessee.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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Mississippi 1-year-old killed after police shoot at car during alleged shoplifting call

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Mississippi 1-year-old killed after police shoot at car during alleged shoplifting call


A Mississippi family is demanding answers after a 1-year-old was killed when police responding to a shoplifting call at a Walmart fired at their vehicle.

The shooting occurred Sunday afternoon in a parking lot in Senatobia, about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. Marquell Bridges, a community advocate who is helping the family find an attorney, told The Associated Press that 1-year-old Kohen Wiley was killed and a friend of the boy’s mother was seriously injured.

The mother was not injured, Bridges said.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating the shooting, said in a statement that when Senatobia police officers arrived, they “encountered two subjects and a juvenile child fleeing from the store into a vehicle.”

The state agency said police tried to stop the vehicle, “but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one.” An officer then discharged their weapon, firing at the vehicle, according to the MBI.

The driver then drove to a nearby hospital, where the child was pronounced dead, the bureau said.

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No law enforcement officers were seriously injured, the state agency said in its statement.

The Senatobia Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. In a Facebook post on Sunday, the department said it was “committed to full transparency.”

“As the investigation progresses and facts are verified, we will share as much information as possible,” the department said.

The Tate County Sheriff’s Office was also on scene for the shooting. The office said in a news release that deputies had been responding to an unrelated incident when their assistance was requested.

“Please keep the family of the deceased in your thoughts and prayers,” the sheriff’s office said.

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In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Bridges said the boy’s mother did not steal from Walmart “and was not a witness to or accomplice to any crime.”

“She was skipping and playing with her child kohen to the car moments earlier not fleeing a theft,” he said. “What started as an ordinary day, playing with your baby and getting into a car, turned into the worst day of a mother’s life and a tragedy this community will carry for years to come.”

He called on the police department to release body camera footage and store surveillance video.

Carlos Haynes, the child’s grandfather, told the AP that Kohen was a happy baby who had his life cut short.

“Someone ended it all before it could even start,” Haynes said.

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The child’s family did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment on Tuesday.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said that it will turn its findings over to the Attorney General’s Office once the investigation is complete.

In a statement Tuesday, the city of Senatobia said it was committed to cooperating fully with the MBI’s independent investigation.

“We understand that emotions are high and that many questions remain. We respectfully ask our community to avoid speculation and the spread of unverified information while the investigation is underway,” the statement said.

It acknowledged the child’s death as a “a heartbreaking tragedy,” and extended condolences to the family. The city also asked for thoughts and prayers for law enforcement officers, first responders and anyone affected by this situation.

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“We ask our community to continue responding with compassion, respect, and grace as we support all those affected during this difficult time,” the statement said.



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