 Sonya Massey in an undated photograph | |
| Date |
|
|---|---|
| Time | 1:20:47 a.m. (CDT)[1] |
| Location | Woodside Township, Sangamon County, Illinois, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°45′45.5″N 89°37′48.8″W / 39.762639°N 89.630222°W |
| Type | Homicide by shooting, police killing |
| Deaths | Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey (36) |
| Accused | Sean Patrick Grayson |
| Charges |
|
On July 6, 2024, Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old black woman, was shot and killed in her home by Sean Grayson, a white deputy of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office in Woodside Township near Springfield, Illinois, United States.[2][3][4]
Massey called 911 about a possible prowler. Grayson and an unidentified deputy responded and found nothing after searching the vicinity. Moving inside her house, the deputies requested her I.D, and Massey began searching for it. The situation escalated quickly when a deputy asked Massey to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove. Massey lifted the pot and said twice, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." Grayson threatened to shoot her in the face and drew his service pistol. His partner did the same and Grayson repeatedly yelled, "Drop the fucking pot," and Massey apologized. Grayson then shot her three times, hitting Massey in the head and ultimately killing her. The unidentified officer stated that he was going to get their medical kit, but Grayson told him not to.
Following the shooting, Grayson was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff's office and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, among other charges.[2]
- ^ Eric Levenson, Jilian Sykes, Brad Parks (July 23, 2024). "Illinois police release bodycam video of fatal shooting of Black woman in her home". CNN. Archived from the original on July 27, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Spearie, Steven (July 17, 2024). "Springfield-area deputy indicted; faces three murder charges in killing of Sonya Massey". The State Journal-Register. Gannett Co., Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Jiménez, Jesus (July 22, 2024). "Illinois State Police Releases Footage of Deputy Fatally Shooting Woman". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Crawford, Sean; Iqbal, Mawa (July 17, 2024). "Sangamon County deputy indicted for murder in the shooting of Sonya Massey denied bail". WSIU. WSIU Public Broadcasting.