On July 6, 2024, Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black American woman, was shot and killed in her home by deputy Sean Grayson of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office in Woodside Township near Springfield, Illinois.[1][2][3][4]
 Sonya Massey | |
| Date |
|
|---|---|
| Time | 1:20:47 a.m. (CT) |
| Location | Woodside Township, Sangamon County, Illinois |
| Type | Homicide by shooting, police killing |
| Deaths | Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey (36) |
| Accused | Sean Patrick Grayson |
| Charges |
|
Massey had placed a 911 call in reference to a possible prowler on her property. Responding to the call, Grayson and an unidentified deputy conducted a search of the immediate vicinity before entering Massey's home where the three engaged in brief conversation surrounding Massey's driver's license and a vehicle in her driveway. After Grayson directed Massey to check on the boiling pot of water on her stove, the deputies quickly escalated, with both drawing their service pistols and Grayson screaming he would "shoot [Massey] in the fucking face". Grayson then shot Massey three times, killing her. Following the shooting, Grayson was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff's office and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, among other charges.[1]
Incident
editEarly on the morning of July 6, 2024, Massey called the authorities as she believed that someone had broken into her home.[2] Two deputies, Grayson and the second unidentified deputy,[5] responded and subsequently searched Massey's backyard and the immediate vicinity of her property. Finding no evidence of any suspicious activity or persons, the officers approached Massey's front door and Grayson knocked multiple times to no avail. After approximately three minutes, Massey opened the door and engaged in conversation with the deputies. The deputies informed Massey that they hadn't found anything of note in their search while Massey used her cell phone. As the deputies prepared to end the exchange, the unidentified officer walked around the side of Massey's house to report the license plate number of a vehicle in her driveway that Massey informed deputies was not hers. Massey and Grayson continued to engage in conversation. After the unidentified officer walked back to Massey's front door, the three enter Massey's residence.[2]
Inside the home, Grayson repeatedly asked Massey to provide her driver's license and discussed the vehicle parked in her driveway. As the unidentified deputy looked around the residence, Massey can be seen looking through a small stack of papers and her purse. At one point, Massey asks Grayson to hand her a Bible. After around a minute and a half of searching, the deputies mention a pot of water boiling on Massey's stove and request that she check on it, as they "don't need a fire while we're here."[6] After Massey picks up the pot of water and walks from her stove to her sink, the unidentified deputy and Grayson move backwards. Massey asks the officers what they're doing, as in why are they backing up. Grayson replies that he's distancing himself from the pot of hot, boiling water. Massey repeats her question, and says, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."[7] After Massey repeats her statement at Grayson's prompting, Grayson draws his gun and replies, "You better fucking not, I swear to God I'll fucking shoot you right in your fucking face."[8]
The unidentified deputy also draws his gun. Massey immediately apologizes by saying "Okay, I'm sorry" and drops to the floor behind the kitchen counter; however both deputies advance from the living room towards the kitchen with their weapons trained on Massey. After several seconds of shouting orders to Massey for her to drop the pot of water, Grayson fires three shots at Massey, killing her.[9] CBS News reported that footage of the shooting showed that "Massey may be holding the pot of water above her head right before the shots are fired."[10] The unidentified deputy radios that shots had been fired and that there was a woman with a headshot wound. He begins to leave to grab his medical kit, however Grayson tells him not to, saying that, "she's done”.[5] Additionally, police audio recording includes someone telling police dispatch that Massey's wound was "self-inflicted".[11][12] Massey was later pronounced dead at St. John's Hospital in Springfield.[2]
Body-camera footage of the shooting was released July 22.[2]
People involved
editSonya Massey
editSonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey was born on February 12, 1988, and was 36 years old at the time of her death. She had a son and a daughter.[13][14]
Sean Patrick Grayson
edit
Sean Patrick Grayson, the deputy responsible for the killing Massey, had a history of employment across six different police departments within a span of just under 4 years—from August 11, 2020, to July 17, 2024.[15] Following the shooting incident, Grayson's employment was terminated. Prior to his employment with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, he had two misdemeanor DUI convictions.[16][17] Authorities revealed that Grayson discouraged his partner from attempting to save the victim, a detail captured in the bodycam footage released on July 22, 2024.[18]
According to his lawyer, Grayson is an army veteran who has stage 3 colon cancer, which was diagnosed last fall.[19][20] His lawyer also said Grayson was not a threat to the community because he was compliant and turned himself in within a half-hour after his arrest warrant was issued.[19]
Aftermath
editIn the aftermath of the shooting, the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office opened an investigation of the incident, which was turned over to the Illinois State Police. The investigation was completed within ten days.[21] Within two weeks of the shooting, the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office terminated Grayson, stating that, "It is clear that the deputy did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards. ... The actions taken by Deputy Grayson do not reflect the values and training of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office or law enforcement as a whole."[3] The second, unidentified officer was placed on administrative leave.[22]
On July 17, 2024, a grand jury indicted Grayson on five counts, including three counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, and one count of official misconduct.[23] Grayson is being held in jail without bail.[22]
Massey's family retained Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights attorney who has represented several other victims of high-profile instances of police brutality, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.[2] The Justice Department is also investigating the case.[24]
According to Massey's family, one of her ancestors, William Donnegan, was lynched in the Springfield race riot of 1908 and pronounced dead in the same hospital as Massey. The 1908 riot led to the founding of the NAACP.[25] Massey's relative stated: "The more things change, the more they stay the same."[26] Massey's father criticized the sheriff's office for hiring Grayson despite the "serious blemishes on his record".[27] Additionally, her family said that police had initially blamed Massey's death on both suicide and a neighbor.[12][11]
Reactions
editUS politicians
editUnited States President Joe Biden issued a statement immediately following the release of the bodycam footage of the incident by the Illinois State Police condemning Massey's killing, stating that, "Americans ... should be able to [call for help] without fearing for our lives," and that Massey "should be alive today."[7] Shortly after Biden's statement, United States Vice President Kamala Harris released her own statement, saying "I join President Biden in commending the swift action of the State's Attorney's Office and in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act," which she co-drafted. She also stated that Massey "deserved to be safe," and that "she was tragically killed in her own home at the hands of a responding officer sworn to protect and serve."[28]
Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker condemned the killing, stating that he was "enraged that another innocent black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer," and that he was "grateful to the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office for bringing the appropriate charges in this case.[3] US Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois stated that his "thoughts are with the family and loved ones" of Massey. He further stated that "The Illinois State Police conducted a thorough investigation of Sonya’s tragic death, and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney brought the necessary charges in a timely way."
The City of Springfield announced an increased police presence in response to the killing and subsequent protests by Massey's family and supporters.[3]
Others
editProtests were held in the United States, including Hartford,[29] New York City,[30] and Atlanta.[31] The NAACP released a statement that blamed politicians for "empowering" Grayson and advocated for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.[32] Michael Arceneaux stated that Massey's killing was not surprising: "When don’t we hear of a white officer shooting a Black person?"[33] The 19th said it was "a striking example of how police encounters for Black people — even those who call the police for help — quickly erupt into violence."[34]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Spearie, Steven. "Springfield-area deputy indicted; faces three murder charges in killing of Sonya Massey". The State Journal-Register. Gannett Co., Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Jiménez, Jesus (July 22, 2024). "Illinois State Police Releases Footage of Deputy Fatally Shooting Woman". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Crawford, Sean; Iqbal, Mawa (July 17, 2024). "Sangamon County deputy indicted for murder in the shooting of Sonya Massey denied bail". WSIU. WSIU Public Broadcasting.
- ^ Spearie, Steven. "Springfield-area deputy indicted; faces three murder charges in killing of Sonya Massey". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Hundsdorfer, Beth. "Bodycam video shows Sonya Massey's last minutes, deputy's coarse description". Capitol News Illinois. Illinois Press Foundation. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Levenson, Eric; Sykes, Jillian; Parks, Brad (July 22, 2024). "Illinois Police release body-cam video of fatal shooting of Black woman in her home". CNN. Warner Bros. Discovery. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b The Associated Press and NBC Staff (July 22, 2024). "Biden issues statement on police shooting of Sonya Massey in Illinois". NBC Chicago. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Helmore, Edward. "Biden calls for justice after footage released of police killing Black woman". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ O'Connor, John (July 22, 2024). "Bodycam video reveals chaotic scene of deputy fatally shooting Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help". AP News. The Associated Press. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ "Officials release video of officer fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her home after she called 911". CBS News. Associated Press. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Glawe, Justin (July 23, 2024). "Sonya Massey killing: family accuse police of attempted cover-up". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ a b "Cop described Sonya Massey shooting as 'self-inflicted' in initial dispatch". The Independent. July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey". The State Journal-Register. July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Obituary for Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey". Ruby Funeral Services & Chapel. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
- ^ "Records show deputy charged in Sonya Massey's fatal shooting worked for 6 agencies in 4 years". opb. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ "Illinois deputy charged with murder had previous DUI convictions in Macoupin County". ksdk.com. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Olsen, Dean. "'Red flags' surrounded hiring of alleged killer". Illinois Times. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ "Illinois deputy charged with murder shot woman in face and discouraged partner from trying to save her, authorities say - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Illinois deputy charged with murder shot woman in face after ordering her to move pot of water". AP News. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Spearie, Steven. "Illinois deputy charged with murder after fatally shooting Sonya Massey inside her home". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ Associated Press (July 22, 2024). "Bodycam video released in case of Sangamon County deputy shooting Black woman who called 911". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago Public Media. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Gourdie, Carson (July 17, 2024). "Former deputy charged with murder after fatal shooting caught on body cam". WICS. Sinclair.
- ^ Hundsdorfer, Beth. "Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy charged with first-degree murder". Capitol News Illinois. Illinois Press Foundation.
- ^ Spearie, Steven. "Massey family meets with Pritzker; DOJ opens investigation into fatal shooting". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "How did Sonya Massey die?". Al Jazeera. July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Glawe, Justin (July 22, 2024). "Body-cam video shows Illinois officer fatally shooting Black woman in face". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Reporter, Jenna Sundel (July 23, 2024). "Sonya Massey's dad rages after shooting: 'You killed the wrong Black woman'". Newsweek. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Mariana Alfaro and Jonathan Edwards (July 23, 2024). "Harris condemns shooting of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
- ^ "Black Lives Matter holds protest in Hartford after Sonya Massey's death by Illinois trooper". WTNH.com. July 25, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Justice rally held in Washington Square Park for Sonya Massey killed by police in her home". ABC7 New York. July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "Atlanta Black women, allies to 'Stand with Sonya Massey' at Woodruff Park demonstration". FOX 5 Atlanta. July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ "NAACP Mourns the Loss of Sonya Massey, Killed by Illinois Deputy | NAACP". naacp.org. July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Arceneaux, Michael (July 19, 2024). "Sonya Massey's death is a reminder that even calling the police for help has deadly consequences for us". TheGrio. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
- ^ Norwood, Candice (July 23, 2024). "Police killing of Sonya Massey is striking example of another 'senseless loss' in the Black community". The 19th. Retrieved July 26, 2024.