It all happens in a few seconds – the interaction between a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy and Sonya Massey that leads to her being shot in the face in her home.
The 36 minutes of police-worn camera video showing the July 6 death of Massey inside her Woodside Township home in the “Cabbage Patch” neighborhood begins with calm and even light-hearted conversation between Massey and two deputies.
But within seconds, after Massey, 36, takes a pot of hot water off her kitchen stove and puts the pot on a counter, the scene progresses to yelling by the deputies and ends with Grayson taking two steps toward Massey before firing three shots at the unarmed woman.
Grayson, 30, who would be charged two weeks later with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in connection with Massey’s death, says later on the video that he fired his 9mm gun after Grayson threw some of the hot water toward the deputies, though the flinging of water can’t be seen on the video.
A Sangamon County judge ordered Grayson detained while he awaits trial. Grayson, a Riverton resident, is being held at the Menard County Jail in Petersburg.
Release of the video prompted widespread condemnation from local, state and national elected officials, pledges to seek justice for Massey and condolences to her family.
Statements included one from President Joe Biden, who called for Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to crack down on police brutality. The Massey family also had an in-person meeting with Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton at a local church.
Prominent civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing the Massey family, said at a Springfield news conference July 22 that he was informed the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Massey’s death.
Crump said he didn’t know the scope of the investigation yet. The family appreciated the federal probe even though family members have been happy with Illinois State Police and State’s Attorney John Milhiser’s swift investigation of the case and charges against Grayson.
A DOJ spokesperson said in a statement: “The Department of Justice is aware of and assessing the circumstances surrounding the tragic officer-involved death of Ms. Sonya Massey and extends condolences to her family and loved ones. The department will continue to track the criminal case opened by the Sangamon County state’s attorney.”
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, and others have called for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign for hiring an officer with two prior DUI convictions. Campbell, an elected Republican office holder, said through a spokesperson that he won’t resign.
Campbell said in a statement, “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.”
Sangamon County spokesperson Jeff Wilhite said the county was aware of Grayson’s DUI convictions when he was hired in May 2023. Grayson had two years and nine months of combined full and part-time experience before being hired, Wilhite said.
“All employees undergo a background check,” Wilhite said. “To our knowledge, Grayson had not been fired from a prior law enforcement job. Grayson had no use-of-force complaints or citizens’ complaints while employed as a Sangamon County deputy. And, to our knowledge, Grayson had no complaints filed against him at prior law enforcement jobs.”
Wilburn commended Springfield’s mayor and chief of police, Sangamon County prosecutors and Illinois State Police investigators for their comments and involvement with the case. But Wilburn said, “The sheriff here is an embarrassment.”
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After the release of police-worn camera footage on July 22, Crump said the video is “shocking.”
“He killed her so senselessly,” Crump said of Grayson. “It was senseless on every level.”
Massey’s daughter, Jeanette “Summer” Massey, said her mother was previously diagnosed as having schizophrenia with paranoia.
But Crump said Grayson could have used the Taser he was carrying. He could have backed away or called a mental-health professional to the scene, Crump said.
“He could have done any number of things, but he engaged. He went closer to her,” Crump said.
Massey “was dealing with some issues,” Crump said. “She needed a helping hand. She didn’t need a bullet to the face.”
The incident began because of a 911 call that Massey made about 12:50 a.m. July 6 when she suspected there was a prowler outside her home in the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue. After Grayson and another deputy arrive, Massey, a single mother of two teenagers who is alone in the house, answers the door and says, “Please God, please God, I’m trying to get help, y’all.”
She tells the deputies at her front door: “I love y’all. Thank you.” They search outside, fail to find any prowler and appear ready to leave when Grayson asks Massey for identification. She goes inside to get documentation, and the deputies follow her inside.
The key exchange on the video begins with Massey, a slight woman standing 5 feet 1 inches tall and weighing about 110 pounds, standing in a nightgown and pajamas behind a counter in her kitchen. Grayson, according to court records, stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 230 pounds.
“Where are you going?” Massey says in the direction of Grayson, who is white, and the other white deputy – who isn’t named and hasn’t been charged – while the pair stand in Massey’s living room next to the open kitchen area.
Grayson doesn’t appear to move but tells Massey that he wants to stay “away from your hot, steaming water.”
“Away from my hot, steaming water?” Massey asks. Then she says something that appears to upset Grayson: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” She says the phrase again.
Grayson replies: “You better fucking not. I’ll fucking shoot you in your fucking face.”
Massey says, “OK, I’m sorry.” She appears to put her hands on the pot on the kitchen counter, then put her hands in the air and duck behind the counter.
Grayson points his gun toward Massey and yells: “Drop the fucking pot! Drop the fucking pot!” As he is yelling, Grayson takes two steps toward Massey, moving part of the way around the end of the counter. He again yells, “Drop” before firing three shots at her. One of the bullets hits her in the face and she collapses.
It’s unclear on the video whether Massey had taken her hands off the pot by the time Grayson fired the shots.
When the other deputy says they should retrieve a medical kit to tend to Massey’s wounds, Grayson says: “You can get it, but it’s a head shot.”
Grayson then says, “Goddamn it. I’m not going to take fucking boiling water in the fucking head. Hey, look. It (the water) came right to our feet, too. Goddamn it.”
Grayson then says, “There’s nothing we could do, man.”
The other deputy appears to put pressure on Massey’s head to slow the bleeding until emergency medical service workers arrive. Grayson does not render medical aid and makes a comment about not wasting his med kit.
The video shows Grayson, who was fired the same day a Sangamon County grand jury handed down its indictment of him July 17, commenting to authorities as they arrive at the scene.
“She had boiling water and came at me with boiling water,” Grayson says. “She said she was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus.”
When Grayson is outside the house, his own body-worn camera records him telling other police officers, “This fucking bitch is crazy” and “it fucking happened so goddamn quick. … She set it up on purpose. … I didn’t have a fucking choice. … We barely got missed.”
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At the July 22 news conference, Teresa Haley, founder of nonprofit Visions 1908 and former president of the Springfield NAACP, said, “It is imperative that we do everything to make sure that this officer spends the rest of his life behind bars.”
Crump said, “Black women don’t get the consideration and respect in America.”
What the video depicted was “heinous,” he said. “Where is the humanity? Where is the training? Until we get justice for Sonya Massey, we rebuke this discriminatory criminal justice system, in the name of Jesus.”
Her father called for Congress to pass the George Floyd legislation as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
“I want justice for my baby,” Wilburn said. “You killed the wrong Black woman this time.”
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This article appears in Protests continue following death of Sonya Massey.
So the article states – Campbell, an elected Republican office holder, said through a spokesperson that he won’t resign.
Well maybe Campbell should take advice from Biden and Johnson after Cheatle resigned:
“As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service,” Biden said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters Tuesday: “I’m glad to see that she has resigned. She should have done it sooner. Accountability begins at the top.” He said the work of a congressional task force formed to investigate the attempt on Trump’s life is much more important now that the head of the Secret Service has resigned.
The County Board needs to be asking tough questions since there were several red flags. If they don’t, they are in the wrong as representatives of the county.
Campbell is the leader of the department. He needs to take responsibility for his department’s actions and the failure of the hiring process. He needs to resign.
Sheriff Campbell has been a top professional law-enforcement officer throughout his entire employment with Sangamon County. He has served effectively and ethically at all times. Two driving offenses do not raise a red flag. I am sure that Campbell has successfully hired hundreds of officers over the years. Both he and our states attorney took immediate action in this case. To call for his dismissal is unfair to him and would be a great loss to Sangamon County.
Incidentally, after the attempted assassination of President Trump, the Director of the Secret Service found no fault in the action of the agents at the scene contending that the slope of the roof overlooking the site was too dangerous to station an officer. This statement by itself justified asking for her resignation. Whereas Sheriff Campbell rightly put blame where blame belonged.
The 2nd paragraph of the Sheriff’s bio on the SCSO website states “the Sheriff is the Chief Public Safety Officer of the County & is considered the top law enforcement official. As the elected officeholder, the Sheriff is responsible for all activities of the Sheriff’s Office. In order to effectively protect our citizens and provide the services mandated by State Statutes, it is imperative the Sheriff appoint capable & reliable staff to each division.”
https://www.sangamoncounty-sheriff.com/div…
In addition, the Mission Statement on the SCSO website reads: The mission of the SCSO is to enhance the quality of life in our county by working in partnership with the community and in accordance with Constitutional rights to enforce the laws, preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide for a safe environment.
Every single part of the SCSO mission statement was violated by Grayson’s actions and based on SCSO’s description of the Sheriff being “responsible for all activities of the Sheriff’s Office”, it is imperative Sheriff Campbell resign in order to help our community take the steps towards healing from this tragedy.
If Sheriff Campbell had an ounce of care or respect for Sonya Massey, her family, the Springfield community, or Sangamon county, he would understand that his resignation is an important step towards the justice and accountability that must occur following the horrific incident. Any refusal to do so is simply self-interest and ego driven.
The more I discover, the more I believe that Sonya Massey was what is known as a Targeted Individual. Please read the novel 1996 by Gloria Naylor. And watch:
https://vimeo.com/search?q=Targeted%20
https://vimeo.com/216217635
There are two children that will live the rest of their lives with this trauma. Nothing, absolutely nothing will ever make this tradgedy disappear. They should have the best of care. They should be given encouragement to persevere in spite of it all.
I hope someday we can put this horrible chapter of our history in the past to never let it rise up and show it’s ugly head again.
And someone wants to give police immunity…really?