Sonya Massey’s Family Accuse Police Of An Attempted Cover-Up After Shooting

During a July 23 interview with CBS Mornings, James Willburn, the father of 36-year-old Sonya Massey, revealed that authorities gave conflicting accounts about the events leading to his daughter’s death after she was shot by Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson.

“I was never told that it was a deputy involved shooting,” the grieving father told Gayle King on Tuesday’s newscast as he sat next to his attorney, Ben Crump. “We were under the impression that she was killed by the intruder or some other person from the shooting.”

On July 6, Grayson and one other officer responded to Massey’s 911 call shortly after midnight following her report of a possible prowler lurking around her Springfield, Illinois, home. The alarming bodycam footage released Tuesday, captured the officers interacting with Massey, who was trying to turn off a boiling pot of water on the stove.

Grayson, 30, cautioned her to step away from the stove, however, Massey responded, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” The incident escalated quickly with Grayson threatening to shoot Massey if she failed to step away from her boiling hot water. After apologizing and shouting “I’m sorry” multiple times, Grayson fired three shots, killing the mother of two instantly.

Willburn shared that he did not find out that Massey had died at the hands of law enforcement until his brother sought out more information on her murder, using her address to access additional details connected to the case. There was also a story that her death was “self-inflicted,” the teary-eyed father added.

Police audio obtained by the Guardian corroborates Willburn’s claim, revealing that someone at the scene of Massey’s shooting—presumably a deputy—was heard describing her wound as “self-inflicted” in the recording.

“The cover-up started right after it happened. Thank God for the body camera footage. It’s probably the most horrible, heart-wrenching thing that we’ve ever seen in our lives, but if it were not for the bodycam footage, we would not have known that this occurred,” Wilburn told King.

Massey’s loved ones are demanding for a thorough investigation to be launched into her death.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Jimmie Crawford Jr., Massey’s former partner, also claimed that authorities shared misleading details following her shooting.

“They tried to make me believe that a neighbor had did it,” said Crawford Jr., citing how Massey had “problems” with her neighbor prior to the incident. He also alleged that after Massey was transported to the hospital, law enforcement officials informed a nurse at the facility that she had killed herself.

“How do you get that confused?” said Crawford Jr.

According to the family, law enforcement only reclassified Massey’s death as a police killing after a doctor determined it was a homicide. Additionally, Wilburn revealed at Tuesday’s conference that some family members only discovered the identity of her killer through news reports covering the July 6 incident, the Guardian noted.

Struggling to hold back tears, Massey’s mother, Donna, spoke with CBS Evenings on July 24, accompanied by Massey’s son Malachi. She urged for officials to serve Grayson with a full term in jail for his actions. A grand jury has since indicted the former officer on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct.

If convicted, he faces a range of potential sentences: 45 years to life for murder, six to 30 years for battery, and two to five years for misconduct. He has since been terminated from his position with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

“I want him to get a full term. The highest amount of years he can get until death,” she added.

What happened before the shooting?

Before officer Grayson took the life of Sonya Massey, the 30-year-old white deputy and his police partner, who remains unidentified, surveyed the premises of Massey’s Springfield home and found a black SUV with broken windows, according to bodycam footage obtained by NBC News Chicago.

“It took Massey three minutes to open the door after the deputies knocked, and she immediately said, ‘Don’t hurt me,’” the outlet reported. “She seemed confused as they spoke at the door, and she repeated that she needed help, referenced God, and told them she didn’t know who owned the car.”

During Tuesday’s interview with Gayle King, Willburn stated that he believed Massey, one of his four daughters, stated “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus” right before Grayson opened fire because she “feared for her life.” He added, “There was something, some premonition that she had … It’s just unexplainable.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and more call for justice.

Support for Massey’s family in their quest for justice has been pouring in from netizens as well as prominent figures in politics, music, and entertainment, who have been vocal about the need for accountability following her tragic death. Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement, standing by President Biden’s response and calling for Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

“Sonya Massey deserved to be safe,” she penned in a statement. “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.”

Solange Knowles was also among those voicing their support for Massey’s justice. “First words Sonya Massey said at her front door were ‘Don’t hurt me.’ She was told ‘Why would we hurt you, you called us,” the songstress’s post read. “When have those words meant anything when you’re Black and woman in this country? When do those words protect you from not being murdered in your kitchen, in your bedroom, with your babies, or on your lawn? What is ‘reassurance’ in this place? Rest in power Sonya Massey, and an abundance of love and power to Sonya’s family on this journey.”

Sonya Massey's Family Accuse Police Of An Attempted Cover-Up