Disturbing new body cam footage has surfaced, showing the tragic police shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman from Illinois, who was fatally shot by a police officer after calling 911 in fear of an intruder in her home.
This footage has intensified public outrage and prompted a heartfelt response from government officials and even President Joe Biden himself.
The footage, released by the Illinois State Police on Monday, July 22, and obtained by The New York Times, captures the sequence of events on the morning of July 6. Two deputies are seen arriving at Massey’s home, conducting a search of the premises before knocking on her door and following her inside.
Once inside the home, deputies requested Massey’s identification as she sat on a sofa. When Massey stood up to remove a pot of hot water from the stove, she uttered, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” That’s when Deputy Sean Grayson responded aggressively, hurling expletives and warning her that he would shoot her in the face.
Moments later, he drew his gun, ordered Massey to drop the pot, and fired two shots at her. Grayson then radioed for assistance, reporting a woman with a gunshot wound to her head. Massey was then transported and pronounced dead at St. John’s Hospital shortly after.
The release of the jarring footage led to swift legal actions. The Springfield State’s Attorney’s office charged Grayson, a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. The Attorney’s Office stated that the evidence showed Grayson was not justified in his use of deadly force. Grayson has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond at the Menard County Detention Facility.
The incident has ignited widespread outrage.
President Biden issued a statement condemning Massey’s killing and praised the decision to charge Grayson. “Sonya Massey should be alive today,” Biden stated, emphasizing that all Americans should be able to call for help without fearing for their lives. He expressed heartbreak for Massey’s children and family, describing the loss as “unthinkable and senseless,” and stressed that the family deserves justice.
Biden also commended the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office for its swift actions and urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill aimed at addressing police misconduct.
In a statement, VP Kamala Harris said, “Sonya Massey deserved to be safe. After she called the police for help, she was tragically killed in her own home at the hands of a responding officer sworn to protect and serve. Doug and I send strength and prayers to Sonya’s family and friends, and we join them in grieving her senseless death. Our thoughts are also with the communities across our nation whose calls for help are often met with suspicion, distrust, and even violence. The disturbing footage released yesterday confirms what we know from the lived experiences of so many – we have much work to do to ensure that our justice system fully lives up to its name. I join President Biden in commending the swift action of the State’s Attorney’s Office and in calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill that I coauthored in the Senate. In this moment, in honor of Sonya’s memory and the memory of so many more whose names we may never know, we must come together to achieve meaningful reforms that advance the safety of all communities.”
State Sen. Steve McClure said he was “shocked and horrified” by what he witnessed in the body cam footage. He added, “My heart goes out to Sonya and her family, who will remain in my thoughts and prayers,” he said. “The Deputy who committed this murder is exactly where he belongs, in jail.”
Illinois State Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a statement saying, “I offer my deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey’s family as they relive a moment no family should experience.” Raoul added: “As the community reacts to the release of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its way through the criminal justice system.”
State Sen. Doris Turner also expressed her sentiments saying, “Nothing could prepare our community to see such a blatant disregard for human life” and “to seek justice and do all we can to prevent another Black man or woman from being unjustly killed.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the Massey family, called the incident “heinous” and criticized the justice system for its discriminatory practices. “Until we get justice for Sonya Massey, we rebuke this discriminatory justice system in the name of Jesus,” Crump said.
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office also denounced Grayson’s actions. Sheriff Jack Campbell stated that Massey’s death was due to an unjustifiable and reckless decision by Grayson, who had other options available. Campbell reiterated that Grayson’s actions do not reflect the values or training of the Sheriff’s Office and committed to preventing such incidents in the future.
As the nation mourns the loss of Sonya Massey, the call for justice and accountability against police brutality grows louder and louder.
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