Body cam video shows Illinois deputy fatally shooting Sonya Massey

SPRINGFIELD, Unwell. (AP) — Sonya Massey ducked and apologized to an Illinois sheriff’s deputy solely seconds earlier than he shot her 3 times, with one deadly blow to the top in her own residence, as seen in physique digicam video launched Monday.

The video’s launch got here days after an Illinois grand jury indicted former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson. Officers stated Massey’s household considered the footage on Wednesday.

The video confirmed prosecutors’ earlier account of the tense second when Grayson yelled from throughout a counter at 36-year-old Massey to set down a pot from the range simply seconds after she began pouring the water into the sink and the 2 chuckled over the “sizzling steaming water.”

READ MORE: Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged with homicide shot Black lady in face after she known as police for assist

He then threatened to shoot her, Massey ducked then briefly rose and Grayson fired his pistol at her 3 times.

Authorities stated Massey known as 911 earlier to report a suspected prowler. The video stated the 2 deputies responded simply earlier than 1 a.m. on July 6, first strolling round the home and discovering a black SUV with damaged home windows within the driveway.

It took Massey three minutes to open the door after the deputies knock, and she or he instantly stated “Don’t harm me.”

She appeared confused as they spoke at her entrance door, and repeated that she wanted assist, referenced God and informed them she didn’t know who owned the automotive.

The video doesn’t present what led Massey and Grayson to stroll inside her home, adopted by the opposite unidentified deputy. The deputies appeared exasperated as she sat on her sofa and went by means of her purse as they requested for identification. Then Grayson identified a pot sitting on a visual flame on the range.

“We don’t want a fireplace whereas we’re right here,” he stated.

Massey instantly received up and went to the range, shifting the pot over close to a sink. She and Grayson appeared to share amusing earlier than she stated, “I rebuke you within the title of Jesus.”

“You higher (expletive) not or I swear to God I’ll (expletive) shoot you in your (expletive) face.” He then pulled his 9mm pistol and stated “Drop the (expletive) pot.”

Massey stated, “OK, I’m sorry.” In Grayson’s bodycam footage, he pointed his weapon at her. She ducked and raised her palms whereas nonetheless holding two oven mitts.

Grayson was nonetheless in the lounge, going through Massey and separated by a counter dividing the lounge and kitchen. Prosecutors have stated the separation allowed Grayson each “distance and relative cowl” from Massey.

After Grayson shot her, the opposite deputy stated “I’m gonna go get my equipment.”

Grayson stated, “No, it’s a headshot. She executed. You possibly can go get it, however that’s a headshot … there’s nothing you are able to do, man.”

He added: “What else can we do? I’m not taking sizzling (expletive) boiling water to the (expletive) face.”

Noting that Massey was nonetheless respiration regardless of shedding loads of blood, he relented and stated he would get his equipment too. The opposite deputy responded, “We will at the very least attempt to cease the bleeding.”

Chatting with responding police, Grayson informed them “she had boiling water and got here at me, with boiling water. … She stated she was going to rebuke me within the title of Jesus and got here at me with boiling water.”

Grayson, who was fired final week, has pleaded not responsible to prices of first-degree homicide, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He’s being held within the Sangamon County Jail with out bond.

If convicted, he faces jail sentences of 45 years to life for homicide, 6 to 30 years for battery and a pair of to five years for misconduct. His lawyer, Daniel Fultz, declined touch upon Monday.

“The physique digicam footage is horrific, and I supply my deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey’s household as they relive a second no household ought to expertise,” Illinois Legal professional Basic Kwame Raoul stated in an announcement. “Because the neighborhood reacts to the discharge of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its manner by means of the prison justice system.”

In an announcement, President Joe Biden stated he and first girl Jill Biden have been praying for Massey’s household “as they face this unthinkable and mindless loss.”

“After we name for assist, all of us as Individuals – no matter who we’re or the place we reside – ought to have the opportunity to take action with out fearing for our lives,” Biden stated. “Sonya’s demise by the hands of a responding officer reminds us that each one too typically Black Individuals face fears for his or her security in methods lots of the remainder of us don’t.”

Ben Crump, the famous civil rights legal professional who’s representing Massey’s household, informed the group at her funeral in Springfield on Friday that the video would reveal against the law as startling because the 1955 lynching of Chicago teenager Emmitt Until in Mississippi, the Chicago police capturing of Laquan McDonald and the Minneapolis police homicide of George Floyd.

“It’ll shock the conscience of America. It’s that mindless, that pointless, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional,” Crump stated.

Massey’s demise is the most recent instance of Black individuals killed in recent times by police of their properties.

In Might, a Hispanic Florida sheriff’s deputy shot and killed Roger Fortson, when the Air Drive senior airman opened the door of his dwelling in Fort Walton Seaside armed with a handgun pointed down. The deputy, Eddie Duran, was fired.

In 2018, a white Dallas police officer fatally shot Botham Jean, who was unarmed, after mistaking his condominium for her personal. Amber Guyger, the previous officer, was convicted of homicide and was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

In 2019, a white Fort Price, Texas, officer fatally shot Atatiana Jefferson by means of a rear window of her dwelling after responding to a nonemergency name reporting that Jefferson’s entrance door was open. Aaron Dean, the previous officer, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to just about 12 years in jail.

Crump has represented households in every case as a part of his effort to power accountability for the killings of Black individuals by the hands of police.

Massey’s demise prompted subsequent protests demanding justice in Springfield, about 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. Talking at her funeral Friday, Massey’s father, James Wilburn, stated he’s inspired by the pace with which the Illinois State Police, which investigated the incident.

“In 10 days, they convened a grand jury. They accomplished their investigation. They arrested, they received him fired,” Wilburn stated. “That’s exceptional.”

Crump additionally represented kin 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 homicide prices in that case.

AP author Sophia Tareen contributed from Chicago.