The video of the shooting of Sonya Massey has been making its rounds on social media, showing the exact moments that she ducked and apologized to an Illinois sheriff’s deputy just seconds before he shot her three times in her home, with one fatal shot to the head. This tragic incident was captured on body camera footage released on Monday.
The video reveals the tense moment when Grayson, separated by a counter, ordered Massey to put down a pot of hot water and threatened to shoot her. Massey ducked, rose briefly, and Grayson fired. After shooting her, he discouraged his partner from retrieving a medical kit, saying, “There’s nothing you can do, man.”
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As Massey lay bleeding, Grayson claimed she had come at him with boiling water.
Grayson, who was fired, is being held without bond. An Illinois grand jury has indicted former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, who is white. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. If convicted, he faces long prison sentences. His lawyer declined to comment.
Authorities said Massey, 36, had called 911 earlier to report a suspected prowler. The video shows the deputies arriving at her home in Springfield around 1 a.m. on July 6. They found a black SUV with broken windows in the driveway.
After knocking on the door, Massey opened it after three minutes, immediately saying, “Don’t hurt me.” She appeared confused, asking for help and referencing God.
Inside, as the deputies tried to gather information, Massey got up to move a pot of hot water from the stove to the sink. She suddenly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson, who had pointed out the pot, responded with a threat, drew his pistol, and demanded she drop it.
The family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, called his justification “disingenuous.” Crump said, “She needed a helping hand, not a bullet to her face,” Crump said, noting her mental health issues and invocation of God’s name during the encounter.
During Massey’s funeral, Crump said the video would “shock the conscience of America.” Her father, James Wilburn, demanded transparency in the investigation and prosecution.
Massey’s death is the latest in a series of incidents where Black individuals were killed by police in their homes. President Joe Biden expressed condolences, stating that Americans should be able to call for help without fearing for their lives.
