Black woman who called 911 for help killed in chaotic scene in Illinois

Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson (left) points his gun at Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help before shooting her to death in her Springfield, Illinois, home on July 6. AP

Body camera footage released Monday by a prosecutor shows 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.

A video from July 6 shows a tense moment in which former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson yells at 36-year-old Sonya Massey for taking a pot off the stove. He threatens to shoot her, Massey ducks briefly and Grayson fires his gun at her three times.

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

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

“It will shock the conscience of America. It’s so senseless, so unnecessary, so unjust, so unconstitutional,” Crump said. “This deputy was twice Sonya’s size. 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 say Massey, who is Black, called 911 in the early morning hours to report a suspected intruder. Grayson entered the home with another officer, saw a pot on the stove and gave Massey permission to move it. When she placed it on the counter, Grayson allegedly pulled out his 9mm pistol and threatened to shoot her. She apologized and took cover, but Grayson approached and shot her, prosecutors said.

Grayson, who is white, did not activate his body camera until after he fired the shots, Milhiser alleges. He then advised his partner not to give Massey medical attention because of the severity of her injuries, according to court documents detailing the incident. The other deputy administered emergency aid and remained with Massey until medical professionals arrived.

“The bodycam footage is horrific, and I offer my deepest condolences to Sonya Massey’s family as they relive a moment that no family should have to endure,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. “As the community reacts to the release of the footage, I urge calm as this case makes its way through the criminal justice system.”

Grayson was fired last week.

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

If convicted, he faces 45 years to life in prison for murder, six to 30 years for assault and two to five years for misdemeanor assault. His attorney, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment Monday.

Massey’s death sparked protests demanding justice in the case. Massey’s father, James Wilburn, echoed that call at her funeral, saying he was encouraged by the speed with which the Illinois State Police, who investigated the incident, and Milhiser acted.

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

Crump, who is planning a news conference with family members after the video’s release, is at his second residence in Springfield, about 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. He also represented family members of Earl Moore, a Springfield man who died after being strapped facedown to a gurney in December 2022. Two emergency room workers are charged with murder in that case.

Associated Press