Sonya Massey murder: Officials release video of officer shooting Black woman in her Illinois home
WARNING: The video below is graphic and disturbing. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
Sonya Massey murder: Illinois police bodycam video shows fatal shooting
The Illinois State Police released video on Monday of police entering the home of a woman who called 911 for help and the violent scene that ensued when a sheriff's deputy shot her in the face. WARNING: The video is graphic. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois State Police (ISP) released video this week of police entering the home of a woman who called 911 for help and the violent scene that ensued when a sheriff's deputy shot her in the face.
Police shot and killed 36-year-old Sonya Massey in her home on July 6. ISP posted the body worn camera (BWC) on Monday after Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser and law enforcement consulted with Massey's family.
Massey's death prompted first-degree murder charges against former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson.
Ben Crump, the noted civil rights attorney who is representing Massey's family, told the crowd at her funeral in Springfield last Friday that the video would reveal a crime as startling as the 1955 lynching of Chicago teenager Emmitt Till in Mississippi, the Chicago police shooting of Laquan McDonald and the Minneapolis police murder of George Floyd.
"It is going to shock the conscience of America. It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional," Crump said. "This sheriff's deputy was twice as large as Sonya. Why would you have to use a gun to shoot her in the head?"
Crump, who plans a news conference with family members following the video release, is on his second sojourn in Springfield, about 200 miles southwest of Chicago. He has also represented relatives of Earl Moore, a Springfield man who died after he was strapped face-down on a stretcher in December 2022. Two emergency medical professionals face murder charges in that case.
Authorities said Massey, who is Black, called 911 in the early morning hours to report a suspected prowler. Grayson entered the house with another deputy, noticed a pot on the stove and gave Massey permission to move it. When she put it on a counter, Grayson allegedly pulled his 9mm pistol and threatened to shoot her. She reportedly apologized and ducked for cover, but Grayson approached and shot her, prosecutors said.
Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. A telephone message was left for Grayson's attorney, Daniel Fultz.
Massey's death prompted subsequent protests demanding justice in the case. Echoing that call at her funeral, Massey's father, James Wilburn, said he's encouraged by the speed with which the Illinois State Police, which investigated the incident, and Milhiser acted.
"In 10 days, they convened a grand jury. They completed their investigation. They arrested, they got him fired," Wilburn said. "That's unheard of."
Illinois deputy allegedly shot woman in face after ordering her to move pot of water
An Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged with murder in the death of a Black woman shot her in the face during a tense moment over a pot of water in her home and then discouraged his partner from trying to save her, authorities said Thursday.
The video release sparked reactions from political leaders across the state and nation. Some of those statements can be found below:
President Joe Biden
"Sonya Massey, a beloved mother, friend, daughter, and young Black woman, should be alive today. Sonya called the police because she was concerned about a potential intruder. When we call for help, all of us as Americans – regardless of who we are or where we live – should be able to do so without fearing for our lives. 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.
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.
I commend the swift actions that were taken by the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office. While we wait for the case to be prosecuted, let us pray to comfort the grieving. Congress must pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act now. Our fundamental commitment to justice is at stake."
Vice President Kamala Harris
"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."
Attorney General Kwame Raoul
"The body camera footage is horrific, and I offer my deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey’s family as they relive a moment no family should experience. As the community reacts to the release of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its way through the criminal justice system.
In Illinois we have made sure that the law mandates independent investigations after officer involved shootings. In this matter it appears that the investigation by the Illinois State Police and the subsequent referral to the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s office have complied with the letter and spirit of the law by providing the appropriate transparency and moving toward accountability."
Illinois Secretary of State's Office
"The killing of Sonya Massey is inexcusable, disgraceful and an abhorrent disregard of basic humanity. Sonya’s murder is a heartbreaking injustice against her, her loved ones and all who see themselves represented in her story. She was a mother, daughter and a human being whose memory will not be forgotten.
As a society, we must come together to demand accountability and justice, and to ensure that tragic and senseless acts of violence at the hands of those who are charged with serving and protecting no longer take place."
Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser
"My prayers are with the family of Sonya Massey, and I commend the Illinois State Police for conducting an expedited investigation into her tragic death. The State’s Attorney’s Office is dedicated to pursuing justice through the prosecution of this case."
FOX 32 Chicago contributed to this report.