On Monday afternoon, the Illinois State Police released body camera footage showing the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman, by a deputy in her own home. Massey had called 911 to report a possible intruder.
The video captures the moment when former Illinois Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, shot 36-year-old Massey in the head. Grayson faces charges of three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty and has been dismissed from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Charging documents filed in Sangamon County Court indicate that Grayson allegedly shot Massey after she threw a pot of boiling water on a couch following his aggressive demands for her to put it down.
The footage reveals Massey pouring the boiling water into the sink after Grayson points out the pot on her stove. When Massey asked where he was going, Grayson responded, “Away from your hot steaming water.”
Massey retorted, “Aw, away from my hot steaming water? Aw, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” to which Grayson replied, “You better [expletive] not; I swear to [expletive] God I’ll shoot you right in your [expletive] face,” and immediately drew his gun.
Massey covered her face with the pot as she ducked and apologized. Grayson ordered her to “drop the [expletive] pot” three times before shooting her.
Grayson and another unnamed deputy had arrived at Massey’s Springfield, Illinois residence around 12:50 a.m. on July 6 to investigate a possible prowler, according to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Grayson only activated his body-worn camera after the shooting, while the other deputy had his camera on upon arrival, as noted in the charging documents.
Court records describe Massey as “calm, perhaps unwell, not aggressive” when deputies responded to her call for help. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Massey’s family, told Media that Massey struggled with her mental health.
Crump called the body camera footage of Massey’s death “extremely graphic” and announced plans to join the family at a news conference Monday afternoon, with mental health professionals present to counsel attendees due to the graphic nature of the video.
Prosecutors allege Grayson discouraged his partner from retrieving a medical kit to aid Massey after the shooting, believing her injuries were too severe. The video shows Grayson telling the second deputy, “she’s done,” when he mentioned getting his med kit.
“No, headshot, dude. She’s done. You can go get it, but that’s a headshot,” Grayson said. “What else do we do? I’m not taking pot boiling water to the [expletive] face, and it already reached us.”
Despite this, the second deputy proceeded to render aid to Massey. According to a statement from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, “Deputies immediately administered first aid until EMS arrived. The woman was transported to St. John’s Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased. No deputies were injured during the incident.”
Massey was pronounced dead at 1:47 a.m. on July 6. An autopsy confirmed she died of a gunshot wound, according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon.
At the request of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police conducted an investigation into the use of deadly force. Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser reviewed the investigation and body camera footage, concluding that Grayson’s use of deadly force was unjustified.
Massey was honored at a funeral on Friday, July 19. Her younger sister, Breeanna Toles, requested that the public respect her family’s feelings when viewing the footage of her sister’s shooting.
“I know people wanna see the video, I know people wanna talk about the video; I just ask if you do it, just do it out of respect for us,” Toles said.
President Joe Biden issued a statement on Massey’s death.
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“Sonya’s death at the hands of a responding officer reminds us that all too often Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not,” Biden’s statement reads. “Sonya’s family deserves justice. I am heartbroken for her children and her entire family as they face this unthinkable and senseless loss. Jill and I mourn with the rest of the country, and our prayers are with Sonya’s family, loved ones, and community during this devastating time.”
Grayson’s attorney, Dan Fultz, declined to comment.
