The police chief of Senatobia, Mississippi, Harold Vanderford, was fired on Tuesday amid controversy following the fatal shooting of 1-year-old Black child Kohen Wiley by a police officer responding to a shoplifting call at a Walmart. Vanderford had submitted his resignation on the same day, but the city’s board of aldermen unanimously voted to terminate his employment instead, without providing specific reasons for their decision. The firing comes in the wake of reports from The New York Times, Mississippi Today, and Verite News alleging that Vanderford used racist slurs in private text conversations with a colleague.

The shooting, which occurred on June 14, resulted in the death of Kohen Wiley and injuries to a woman driving the vehicle he was in. The boy’s mother, Vellesiya Wiley, denied any involvement in shoplifting, and no charges have been filed against her or her friend. The officer responsible for the shooting has been placed on administrative leave while the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation conducts an inquiry. The incident has sparked anger in the small city, where tensions between Black residents and law enforcement have escalated in recent years. Alderman Demetrius Garrett stated that the board has a responsibility to protect the integrity and trust of the Senatobia Police Department, while Alderman Chris McConnell called for an independent investigation into the department’s leadership, internal culture, and handling of misconduct. National civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Kohen Wiley’s family, endorsed the chief’s firing, emphasizing the need for transparency and the release of body-camera footage from the shooting.

This is a summary. Read the original at yahoo.com.