A 36 year-old Black woman called 911 to report a potential intruder in her home on July 6. She was fatally shot in her home in Springfield, Illinois, by one of the responding officers.
Who is Sonya Massey? Here’s what we know.
Who is Sonya Massey?
Sonya Massey was a 36-year-old Black woman who was shot by a police officer in her own home on July 6, 2024.
What happened to Sonya Massey?
Massey had called 911 earlier that night to report a potential intruder in her home.
Massey appeared calm when the deputies arrived and entered her home to “ensure that the residence was safe,” according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.
Deputy Sean Grayson noticed a pot of hot water on the stove while inside Massey’s home and asked her to remove it to prevent any accidental fires.
Body-cam footage of the encounter shows that Grayson made a comment about the pot while in the living room, and Massey is seen responding to Grayson, setting the pot on the kitchen counter as Grayson stands in the living room, according to court documents.
Grayson drew his gun, threatening to shoot Massey in the face, the documents say.
“Seeing the drawn weapon, Ms. Massey put her hands in the air and stated, ‘I’m sorry’ while ducking for cover behind the counter that separated them,” according to court documents.
Grayson proceeded to close the distance between him and Massey. He fired the gun three times, shooting Massey in the face once, according to court documents.
Grayson’s body-cam was not turned on until after he shot Massey, but the other deputy had theirs on for the entire interaction.
The other deputy rendered aid until medical help arrived.
“(Grayson) at no time made an attempt to render aid to Ms. Massey,” court documents state.
The body camera footage was released on July 22 and revealed how the incident was escalated by Grayson.
To view the video, click here. (Please note that this video contains graphic content.)
A full timeline of events was reported by The State Journal-Register in Illinois.
What happened to Sean Grayson?
The deputy responsible for the shooting, Sean Grayson, 30, was terminated from his job and arrested on July 17. He faces five counts: aggravated battery, official misconduct and three counts of first degree murder.
Due to Grayson’s “disregard for human life” and access to firearms, State’s Attorney John Milhiser moved to deny him pre-trial release, which was granted on Thursday. Grayson was placed in the custody of the Sangamon County Sheriff while awaiting trial.
He appeared before Sangamon County court the following day on July 18 where he pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The State Journal-Register reported Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell issued the following statement following the release of the video:
“Sonya Massey lost her life due to an unjustifiable and reckless decision by former Deputy Sean Grayson. Grayson had other options available that he should have used. His actions were inexcusable and do not reflect the values or training of our office. He will now face judgment by the criminal justice system and will never again work in law enforcement.
“Ms. Massey needlessly lost her life, and her family deserves answers. I trust the legal process will provide them. This incident does not reflect the values or actions of our law enforcement community. It was a tragic decision made by an individual who had the training, tools, and experience to know better. We are committed to upholding a standard that prevents such tragedies from occurring in the future.”
Protests broke out after Sonya Massey’s death
Protestors have been rallying for the names of officers involved and the body camera footage to be made public since July 12.
The protests began once it was announced that Massey’s family had retained the services of civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump.
Crump, based out of Tallahassee, Florida, has been involved in major civil rights cases and previously represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and countless others over the years.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What happened to Sonya Massey? Bodycam video shows police shooting
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