Illinois Gov. Calls For Sheriff To Resign After Sonya Massey Death

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On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign for his poor handling of the shooting death of Sonya Massey, according to CNN.

“We join the Massey family in calling for Sheriff Campbell’s resignation immediately so the Springfield and Sangamon County community can begin to rebuild and restore trust between citizens and the sheriff’s department,” Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a joint statement.

Gov. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Stratton also said that Campbell had plenty of time to respond correctly and that the community was fearful while he was the Sheriff.

“A full month has passed since the murder of Sonya Massey. In that time, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell has had ample opportunity to respond with conviction and purpose to questions about his hiring of the perpetrator, Deputy Sheriff Sean Grayson, and about reforms he would propose for his department to avoid this from happening again,” Pritzker and Stratton said. “The community remains in fear that calling the Sheriff’s Office when they feel endangered will lead to another murder of an innocent resident.”

Sheriff Campbell resisted the Governor’s calls for his resignation, claiming they were “political maneuvering.”

“Calls for my resignation are nothing more than political maneuvering during a tragic event and only hurt the good citizens of Sangamon County,” said Campbell. “I was overwhelmingly elected to lead the Sheriff’s Office through both good times and bad.”

He continued, saying that his office “continues to grieve for Sonya Massey and her family,” that deputies in his office “feel betrayed by one of their own,” and that “the Sheriff’s Office is willing to modify our hiring practices in order to prevent an incident like this from occurring again.”

The cop who shot and killed Sonya Massey in her home last month said he believes her last words were a threat to his life, according to AP.

In Sean Grayson’s field report, which was released Monday, the deputy said he thought Massey’s final words, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” meant she wanted to kill him.

“I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me,” Grayson wrote. He also claimed that when he drew his weapon, Massey hid behind a counter and Grayson feared she was trying to grab a weapon.

Grayson was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct charges in the death of Sonya Massey.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson. Source: Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department

Newly obtained 911 calls made in response to Sonya Massey just days before she was killed by police in her home were released last week, according to AP.

One of those calls was made by Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, who told dispatchers her daughter was suffering a “mental breakdown” and “I don’t want you guys to hurt her.” She also told dispatchers that Sonya was scared of the police and asked that no officer who is “prejudiced” be sent.

Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Massey family, discussed the newly released emergency response calls, calling them heartbreaking.

“The 911 calls capture the heartbreaking pleas of Sonya’s mother, who desperately sought help for her daughter while expressing her deep fears about the potential for violence at the hands of the police. Despite these warnings, Sonya, a woman struggling with her mental health, was met with deadly force in her own home,” Crump told NewsOne.

In another call, a woman calling from Sonya Massey’s home, who didn’t identify herself to dispatchers, said people wanted to hurt her. That same day, Sonya Massey called and reported a neighbor had hit her with a brick, according to AP.

“Sonya needed compassion and support,” Crump said. Instead, she was met with a gunshot to the face by a deputy whose actions have now led to charges of first-degree murder. The failure to provide the appropriate response to a mental health crisis has resulted in an irreversible loss for the Massey family and underscores a systemic issue that must be addressed.”

The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department has said they are investigating whether or not Massey’s history of mental health issues was shared with officers who responded to the scene that ended in Massey’s death.

“This case is a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive police reform and better training for handling mental health crises,” Crump said. “No family should ever have to endure such a preventable tragedy. We will continue to fight for justice for the Massey family, as well as systemic change to ensure that no other family has to suffer the pain and loss that the Massey family is experiencing.”

Earlier in the week, an Illinois Sheriff acknowledged his office failed Sonya Massey the night she was killed by police after calling 911. During a community meeting, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell admitted to residents his team didn’t do their jobs when it came to Massey and the July 6 shooting.

Source: Anadolu / Getty

“We did not do our jobs. We failed Sonya. We failed Sonya’s family and friends. We failed the community,” Campbell said.

The Sheriff also asked Sonya’s family for forgiveness and stressed to the community that he would make necessary changes within the sheriff’s office.

“I stand here today before you, with arms wide open, and I ask for your forgiveness. I ask Ms. Massey and her family for forgiveness. I offer up no excuses. What I do is offer our attempt to do better. To be better,” Campbell said.

According to CNN, the community meeting was facilitated by the U.S. Justice Department’s community relations service, which is tasked with preventing community tensions and hate crimes based on race and sexual orientation, among other factors.

“We did not do our jobs. We failed Sonya. We failed Sonya’s family and friends. We failed the community,” Campbell said.

The Sheriff also asked Sonya’s family for forgiveness and stressed to the community that he would make necessary changes within the sheriff’s office.

“I stand here today before you, with arms wide open, and I ask for your forgiveness. I ask Ms. Massey and her family for forgiveness. I offer up no excuses. What I do is offer our attempt to do better. To be better,” Campbell said.

According to CNN, the community meeting was facilitated by the U.S. Justice Department’s community relations service, which is tasked with preventing community tensions and hate crimes based on race and sexual orientation, among other factors.

The autopsy of Sonya Massey was released by the Sangamon County coroner last week, which confirmed the Illinois Black woman died by homicide due to a gunshot wound to her head.

Jack Campbell believes his department “failed” Sonya Massey. Source: Sangamon County Sheriff J

“The cause of death; gunshot wound of the head. The manner of death; Homicide,” Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon told ABC News.

Massey was killed in her home by Deputy Sean Grayson while officers were responding to her 911 call.

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said the autopsy confirms the shooting was unjustified.

“The autopsy confirmed what everybody already knew with the video,” Crump said at the press conference. “That this was just a senseless and unnecessary excessive use of force, completely unnecessary, certainly not justified.”

Massey’s family is still in shock and says Sonya’s kids will never be the same.

“Sonya meant the world to me. I loved her so much. This tragedy has been so much on my family, her kids. Her daughter cannot sleep at night,” Shadia Massey, Sonya Massey’s cousin, said during a press conference. “This is the hardest thing that we have ever been through as a Massey. It just breaks my heart that our family has to go through this.”

Bodycam footage of the police shooting death of Sonya Massey was released last week, giving more detail into the tragic moments leading up to her death.

According to CNN, on July 6, Massey called the police after suspecting a possible prowler at her Springfield home. Bodycam footage shows Massey speaking with Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies, including Deputy Sean Grayson, the cop who would later kill her.

From HelloBeautiful:

At the beginning of the video, the matriarch is seen sitting on her couch and later moving to her stove to turn off a pot of boiling water. However, when she picks up the pot, the officer, who remains unnamed, warns her to step “away” from her hot steaming water.

“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Massey replies during the 36-minute-long video.

“Huh?” the deputy responds. 

Massey repeats “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” again, fueling Grayson to shout, “You better f**king not or I swear to God I’ll f**king shoot you in the f**king face.”

Both officers draw their guns, shouting at the mother of two to release the boiling pot of hot water. Sadly, Massey can be heard saying, “I’m sorry” shortly before three shots are fired in the background.

After a few seconds of silence, the unnamed deputy says “Shots fired” and calls medical backup.

“Dude, I’m not taking f**king boiling water to the f**king head. And look, it came right to our feet, too,” Grayson shouts, before he later refers to Massey as a “crazy b-tch.”

According to charging documents, CNN reported that Deputy Sean Grayson did not activate his body camera until after he fatally shot Sonya Massey. In contrast, the other deputy had activated his body camera upon arriving at the scene, as detailed in the documents.

Before the shooting occurred, both officers surveyed the premises of Massey’s Springfield home and founda black SUV with broken windows, according to NBC News Chicago. 

Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, was indicted last week on charges including three counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, and one count of official misconduct

Source: Scott Olson / Getty

What happened to Sonya Massey?

The circumstances of the shooting are being slowly revealed, including a new report that Grayson “discouraged” fellow officers from rendering medical aid to Massey following the shooting, according to NBC News. That report contradicts previous claims to the contrary from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

The shooting reportedly stemmed from “a dispute” between Massey and Grayson “over a pot of steaming water in the victim’s home,” NBC News reported.

More from NBC News:

According to an Illinois State Police summary of the shooting, deputies found a car at Massey’s home that appeared to have been broken into. After they knocked on her door, the deputies found her “distraught and not thinking clearly” and entered her home, the summary says.

The exchange over the pot came after Grayson motioned to a container, which was on the stove in Massey’s kitchen, according to the summary. Massey turned off the burner, picked up the pot, carried it to the sink and turned on the faucet, the summary says.

Grayson was roughly 10 feet from Massey, who asked the deputies what they were doing.

“Getting away from your hot, steaming water,” Grayson responded, according to the summary.

“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Massey said twice, the summary says.

Grayson responded, “I swear to God. I will shoot you right in your f—— face,” according to the summary.

Grayson responded by aiming his gun at Massey, who picked up the pot of water and threw it on furniture — not at Grayson — the report says.

That’s when Grayson shot at Massey three times, hitting her once in the face, the report says.

Grayson allegedly told his fellow officers there was no need to try to help Massey because he had shot her in the head and she had died already.

The Illinois State Police determined Grayson was well within his rights to aim his gun at Massey. However, Grayson was also found to have not tried to de-escalate the situation, which made the shooting unjustifiable and an action that was not “in accordance with” Sangamon County Sheriff’s “standards.”

These new details provide context that was missing from early reports from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police.

Grayson, who was charged with three counts of murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, is being held without bail.

Grayson’s arrest and criminal indictments were hailed by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Massey’s family.

“Today marks an important milestone in the pursuit of justice for Sonya Massey’s family. While nothing can undo the heinous actions of this officer, we hope the scales of justice will continue to hold him accountable and we will demand transparency at every step,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a statement sent to NewsOne. “This news is a step toward justice for Sonya’s loved ones, especially her children, who have endured unimaginable pain and suffering since they were notified of this tragedy. We remain committed to uncovering the truth of what happened and identifying the failures that allowed this tragic death to occur.”

The Illinois Times reported that Grayson is not being held at the Sangamon County Jail and it’s unclear where he is.

Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser said that the bodycam video footage from the shooting would be released on Monday. “Nothing has been redacted except for the blurring of certain images, which was done out of respect for Ms. Massey and her family,” Milhiser said of the bodycam video footage.

Source: Probal Rashid / Getty

Community demands justice

People across the country were outraged by the body camera footage released of Sonya Massey’s deadly encounter with police. Social users took to X, demanding justice for the 36-year-old Black woman from Illinois.

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. 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,” said Harris.

Singer and songwriter Solange Knowles also took to social media to demand justice for Sonya Massey.

“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 wrote.

“When have those words meant anything when your 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 funeral

Donna Massey, the mother of shooting victim Sonya Massey, is comforted during a press conference at New Mount Pilgrim Church on July 30, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. Source: Scott Olson / Getty

Sonya Massey, 36, was laid to rest following services at a funeral home in Springfield, where on July 6 she was shot in the head by now-fired Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, who was charged with murder last week.

The trend of police killing Black people in their own homes

Massey’s death marks the latest instance of police killing a Black person in their own home.

Most recently, a deputy in Florida shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson after responding to what turned out to be a false report of an unspecified disturbance in his apartment. Fortson, 23, was shot in his own apartment on May 3 within seconds of opening his front door after Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy Eddie Duran responded aggressively to a report of a domestic “disturbance” that a witness claims never existed at that location.

Less than a week after Fortson was killed, the initial shooting narrative provided by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office was definitively undermined by that witness – Fortson’s girlfriend – who said the police responded to the wrong apartment.

Bodycam video footage shows Duran banging loudly on an apartment door. When Fortson – possibly suspecting an intruder – answered the door while brandishing a legally owned gun that was facing down, Duran immediately opened fire and shot the young Airman six times.

It would be one full month before Duran was fired. However, as of Friday, there have been no criminal charges brought in the shooting.

Other notable cases of the police shooting and killing Black people in their own homes include Botham Jean, who died after an off-duty Dallas cop mistook his apartment for hers and incorrectly suspected him as an intruder; Atatiana Jefferson, who was shot through her own bedroom window by a Fort Worth police officer who didn’t identify himself or give a warning; and Breonna Taylor, who was killed in a hail of bullets after police in Louisville executed a no-knock warrant in search of a suspect who was already in custody.

The officers who killed Jean and Jefferson were each subsequently charged with and convicted of murder. However, none of the police officers involved in Taylor’s death have been held accountable.

This is America.