A sheriff’s deputy who has been indicted for killing an Illinois Black woman shot her in the face over a pot of hot water, a memorandum states.
Now, her family is saying their final goodbyes to the mother of two, who was also her mother’s only child.
New details have emerged that show former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson not only threatened to shoot 36-year-old Springfield resident Sonya Massey in the face before he did just that, but he also discouraged his partner from rendering medical aid to the severely injured woman at the time.
According to the memorandum from the Illinois State Police, who did an investigation into the incident, Grayson’s use of deadly force on Saturday, July 6, was not justified because he placed himself in potential harm by approaching his victim while she was removing a pot of water from her stove.
Grayson and his partner were dispatched to Massey’s home in Springfield after she called 911 to report a prowler sometime after midnight. According to court and police documents, the deputies found a car that had been broken into but nothing else.
They then entered Massey’s home to have further discussions with her. According to the memorandum from the state police, this is where things went left, and the dispute with Grayson over the pot occurred.
The memorandum says Grayson asked Massey about something that was on her stove, so she walked over to it, turned the burner off, retrieved the pot, and put it in her sink. She then turned on the faucet, the memo states.
The memo continued summarizing the night’s event, noting Massey then asked the deputies what they were doing.
“Getting away from your hot, steaming water,” Grayson replied, according to the memo. “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Massey replied twice, to which Grayson responded, “I swear to God. I will shoot you right in your f—ing face!”
Grayson then drew his gun and pointed it at Massey, demanding that she drop the pot. She did before kneeling behind some cabinets to take cover, the memo states. It also says Massey threw her hands in the air and said, “I’m sorry.”
Unsatisfied with the response, Grayson continued yelling at her to drop the pot — even though she had already — and walked toward her, closing the distance between them. Massey is said to have then stood up from where she was hiding, grabbed the pot and tossed the water out of it.
This is when Grayson shot her three times, with one of the bullets striking her in the face. As his partner went to give Massey medical attention, Grayson told him not to bother due to how severe her injuries were.
The other deputy retrieved his medical kit and rendered aid to Massey anyway, staying with her until further help arrived. Grayson didn’t do anything to try and help Massey, who was later rushed to nearby St. John’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
After the investigation was completed, Grayson was fired from the department and indicted on five charges, including three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, celebrated the news of the indictment.
“Today marks an important milestone in the pursuit of justice for Sonya Massey’s family,” Mr. Crump said in the statement. “While nothing can undo the heinous actions of this officer, we hope the scales of justice will continue to hold him accountable and we will demand transparency at every step.”
Grayson has pleaded not guilty to the charges, but Sangamon Sheriff Jack Campbell has denounced his actions and offered Massey’s family his condolences.
“First and foremost, my heart breaks for the family and friends of Sonya Massey. This is a tragic incident, and we mourn with them and the community,” Campbell said in a statement posted to the department’s Facebook page.
“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,” Campbell’s statement continued. “Good law enforcement officers stand with our community in condemning actions that undermine the trust and safety we strive to uphold. In times like these, it is crucial for leadership across all sides and spectrums to come together to heal our community.”
According to a report by ABC News, it is the deputy who rendered aid to Massey is the one with the most extensive footage because his body camera was activated during the entire incident, while Grayson only turned on his body camera after he shot Massey.
A public obituary shows Massey was funeralized on Friday, July 19, with visitation at 9 a.m. and services beginning at 10 a.m. She will be interred at Oak Hill Cemetery.
