Black woman who called 911 for help killed by police officer in Illinois

Body camera video released on Monday by a prosecutor reveals a chaotic scene in which a Black woman in Springfield, Illinois, who called 911 for help is shot in the face in her home by a white sheriff’s deputy.

One video from July 6 shows a tense moment in which former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson yelled at 36-year-old Sonya Massey over moving a pot from the stove. He threatens to shoot her, Massey ducks then briefly rises and Grayson fires his pistol at her three times.

Grayson has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He is being held in the Sangamon County Jail without bond.

Ben Crump, the noted civil rights attorney who is representing Massey’s family, told the crowd at her funeral in Springfield on Friday that the video would reveal a crime as startling as the 1955 lynching of Chicago teenager Emmitt Till in Mississippi, the Chicago police shooting of Laquan McDonald and the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd.

"It is going to shock the conscience of America. It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional,” Crump said. "This sheriff’s deputy was twice as large as Sonya. Why would you have to use a gun to shoot her in the head?”

Sonya Massey (left) talks with Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Illinois, on July 6, 2024. AP

Authorities said Massey, who is Black, called 911 in the early morning hours to report a suspected prowler. Grayson entered the house with another deputy, noticed a pot on the stove and gave Massey permission to move it. When she put it on a counter, Grayson allegedly pulled his 9mm pistol and threatened to shoot her. She reportedly apologised and ducked for cover, but Grayson approached and shot her, prosecutors said.

Grayson, who is white, did not activate his body camera until after firing the shots, Milhiser contends. He then allegedly advised his partner not to give medical aid to Massey because of the severity of her injuries, according to court documents detailing the incident. The other deputy provided emergency assistance and stayed with Massey until medical professionals arrived.

"The body camera footage is horrific, and I offer my deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey’s family as they relive a moment no family should experience,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. "As the community reacts to the release of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its way through the criminal justice system.”

Grayson was fired last week.

Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson speaks with his partner after shooting Sonya Massey. Reuters

If convicted, he faces prison sentences of 45 years to life for murder, 6 to 30 years for battery and 2 to 5 years for misconduct. His lawyer, Daniel Fultz, declined comment on Monday.

Massey’s death prompted subsequent protests demanding justice in the case. Echoing that call at her funeral, Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said he’s encouraged by the speed with which the Illinois State Police, which investigated the incident, and Milhiser acted.

"In 10 days, they convened a grand jury. They completed their investigation. They arrested, they got him fired,” Wilburn said. "That’s unheard of.”

Crump, who plans a news conference with family members following the video release, is on his second sojourn in Springfield, about 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. He has also represented relatives of Earl Moore, a Springfield man who died after he was strapped face-down on a stretcher in December 2022. Two emergency medical professionals face murder charges in that case.

Associated Press