Bodycam footage of Sonya Massey revealed, leading to deputy’s firing and murder indictment with no bail – One America News Network
OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
11:10 AM – Tuesday, July 23, 2024
On Monday, the authorities made police body camera footage public of 36-year-old Sonya Massey’s last moments before she was shot and killed by an officer at her Springfield, Illinois, home after she had initially called them.
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Massey was killed on July 6th after calling the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, an attorney representing her family said. Massey told officers that she was worried there was a peeping tom or prowler outside her home, so she immediately called them.
Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County deputy, is now charged with shooting Massey in the face after he and another officer were called to the residence just before one in the morning.
According to Sangamon County State Attorney John Milhiser, Deputy Grayson has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct.
Meanwhile, Grayson’s attorney, Dan Fultz, remained silent following the revelation of the body camera footage. The officer entered a not guilty plea last week.
In the video, Massey’s door is repeatedly knocked on by Grayson and the other officer until she answers. The second deputy alongside him was not identified by police.
Massey: “Please don’t hurt me.”
Grayson: “Why would I hurt you? You called us.”
After informing Massey that no one was visible in the area surrounding her home, the deputies ask if she needs assistance with anything else. In response to Grayson’s second question regarding Massey’s mental health, she responds and says she’s doing fine mentally.
Massey: “I love ya’ll, thank ya’ll.”
However, the deputies then question her about a black SUV in her driveway with a smashed window, which she says belonged to someone else and that they brought it there.
After that, the deputies decide to enter Massey’s home and ask what her name is, so they “can get out of [her] hair.”
Soon after, Massey nervously walks to the kitchen and grabs a pot of boiling water off of a stove. When she takes the pot off the burner, things become more tense.
Massey: “Where you goin’?”
Grayson: “Away from your hot, steaming water..”
Massey: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus…”
Massey turns around, still holding the pot of water, takes one small step towards the deputies, staying in her kitchen.
Grayson: “You better f—— not I swear to God I’ll f——- shoot you in your f——- face.”
Massie: “OK, I’m sorry!”
The second deputy also pulls out his gun.
Grayson: “Drop the f—— pot!”
While Deputy Grayson is still yelling for Massey to put down the pot, three gunshots can be heard. Although Massey is now hidden from the body cam’s view after falling behind the kitchen counter, the released footage later reveals that she dropped the pot when she ducked.
Deputy Grayson lets out a sigh and his adrenaline tapers off, realizing what has happened.
Grayson: “F***!!”
Emergency personnel were then immediately called by the deputies and the unidentified officer informs Grayson that his police body camera was turned on the whole time. The officer asks if he should grab their medical kit.
Grayson: “Nah, headshot dude, she’s done…You can go get it [a medical aid kit], but that’s a headshot.”
“Yeah I’m not taking f——- boiling hot water to the f——- head,” Grayson continues. “Hey look, it f——- came right to our feet too.”
He then goes to get his medical kit, saying, “I mean, there’s not much we can do.”
Second Deputy: “We can at least try and hold the… Stop the blood.”
Afterwards, he enters the kitchen, locates a towel, and pushes it on Massey’s head wound. Although Massey is not seen in the video since she dropped to the ground, a sizable blood pool is still seen close to her head, and her gasps are audible.
State police said that Massey was taken to a hospital and was eventually pronounced dead.
An internal investigation of use of force concluded that the deputy was “correct to point his service pistol at Massey in order to compel her to comply,” police stated. However, the probe also concluded that Grayson’s move toward Massey and his placement, where he “could have been hurt,” rendered the shooting unjustified.
Additionally, a review of the state police investigation, including the body camera evidence, “does not support a finding that Deputy Sean Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force,” according to the state’s attorney for Sangamon County.
Grayson was fired later this month, according to a statement made by Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell last week, since it was evident that he “did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards,” Campbell added.
Campbell also noted in a statement that was uploaded on Facebook on Monday that Grayson’s “unjustifiable and reckless decision” is what killed Massey.
“Grayson had other options available that he should have used,” Campbell continued. “His actions were inexcusable and do not reflect the values or training of our office. He will now face judgment by the criminal justice system and will never again work in law enforcement.”
The sheriff continued, maintaining that Massey “needlessly lost her life” and that her relatives should be given an explanation.
Attorney Ben Crump, who is legally representing Massey’s family, pondered whether race had anything to do with the tragic shooting during a Monday press conference.
“That is the lingering question in our community because many of us looked at that video and said, ‘If it was a White woman, he would not have done this,’” Crump said.
Nonetheless, other law enforcement officers chimed in on social media platforms, explaining that Massey’s “I will rebuke you in the name of Jesus” comment while holding the boiling pot of water would frighten many officers, as she seemingly referenced that she would splash or pour the hot water on his face or body, as one does during a baptism, or as a Catholic priest does in horror films when a possessed person has a demon inside of them.
Grayson’s upcoming court date is scheduled for August 26th.
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