Body camera video shows Sonya Massey’s final moments before she was fatally shot by a deputy

Authorities launched physique digicam footage Monday of Sonya Massey’s last moments earlier than she was fatally shot by legislation enforcement at her dwelling in Springfield, Illinois.

Massey, 36, was killed July 6 after she known as the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Workplace as a result of she was afraid there could be a prowler outdoors, in response to an legal professional for her household and Illinois State Police.

Former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson is accused of taking pictures Massey within the face after he and one other deputy have been dispatched to her dwelling shortly earlier than 1 a.m.

Grayson has been indicted on expenses of first-degree homicide, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, stated Sangamon County State’s Lawyer John Milhiser.

Grayson pleaded not responsible final week, in response to his lawyer, Dan Fultz, who declined to remark after the physique digicam footage was launched.

Within the footage, Grayson and a second deputy could be seen knocking on Massey’s door a couple of instances till Massey opens it.

“Please do not damage me,” Massey is heard saying to Grayson. The second deputy was not recognized by authorities.

“Why would I damage you? You known as us,” Grayson responds.

The deputies inform Massey they checked the world round her home and did not see anyone, after which ask if she wants assist with anything. Grayson additionally asks Massey if she’s doing OK mentally, to which she solutions, “Sure.”

“I like ya’ll, thank ya’ll,” Massey says as she’s closing her door. The deputies ask her if a black SUV in her driveway with a smashed window is hers, to which she says no and that somebody introduced it there.

The deputies then go into Massey’s home, the place they ask her for her identify so that they “can get out of your hair.”

Massey then strikes to her range, the place she picks up a pot from a burner. The scenario escalates when she strikes the pot from the range.

“The place you goin’?” she asks the deputies.

“Away out of your scorching, steaming water,” Grayson responds.

“I rebuke you within the identify of Jesus,” she says.

Massey doesn’t strategy the deputies with the pot and stays in her kitchen.

“You higher f—— not I swear to God I am going to f——- shoot you in your f——- face,” Grayson says earlier than pulling out his gun.

“OK, I am sorry!” Massey says as she geese.

The second deputy additionally pulls out his gun.

“Drop the f——- pot!” Grayson screams.

Three gunshots are heard as Grayson continues to yell at Massey to drop the pot. Massey can’t be seen from behind the kitchen counter, however video from Grayson’s physique digicam exhibits that Massey had let go of the pot when she ducked.

The deputies known as for emergency personnel.

The second deputy says he will get his equipment.

“Nah, headshot dude, she’s achieved,” Grayson says to him. “You possibly can go get it however that is a headshot.”

“Yeah I am not taking f——- boiling scorching water to the f——- head,” Grayson continues. “Hey look, it f——- got here proper to our toes too.”

He then goes to get his medical equipment, saying, “I imply, there’s not a lot we are able to do.”

“We will no less than attempt to maintain the, cease the blood,” the second deputy says. He then goes into the kitchen, finds a towel and holds it to Massey. Massey is blurred out within the footage, however a big pool of blood can nonetheless be seen close to her head, and he or she could be heard gasping.

When Grayson makes his means again into the house, he asks one other deputy who has since entered, “Is there something we are able to do for her?” The deputy responds, “No.”

“All proper, I am not even going to waste my med stuff then,” Grayson says.

The deputy asks Grayson, “The place’s the gun?”

“No, she had boiling water and got here at me with boiling water,” Grayson says.

When Grayson leaves the home, a member of legislation enforcement standing outdoors asks him if he is OK.

“Yeah I am good. This f——- b—- is loopy,” he responds and walks to his automobile shortly afterward.

The second deputy stays with Massey, holding the towel to her head till medical assist arrives. Grayson isn’t seen making an attempt to assist Massey.

Massey was taken to a hospital, the place she was declared useless, in response to state police.

A use-of-force evaluate carried out by state police discovered that whereas Grayson didn’t try and de-escalate the encounter, he was justified in pointing his service weapon at Massey to get her to conform. However it discovered the taking pictures was not justified as a result of Grayson superior towards Massey and put himself ready the place he might have been injured. 

Milhiser, the Sangamon County state’s legal professional, stated in an earlier assertion {that a} evaluate of the state police investigation, together with physique digicam footage, “doesn’t help a discovering that Deputy Sean Grayson was justified in his use of lethal drive.”

Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell stated in a press release final week that Grayson had been fired as a result of it was clear he “didn’t act as skilled or in accordance with our requirements.”

In a press release posted Monday to Fb, Campbell stated Massey is useless due to an “unjustifiable and reckless choice” made by Grayson.

“Grayson had different choices accessible that he ought to have used,” Campbell stated. “His actions have been inexcusable and don’t replicate the values or coaching of our workplace. He’ll now face judgment by the legal justice system and can by no means once more work in legislation enforcement.”

The sheriff went on to say that Massey “needlessly misplaced her life” and that her household deserves solutions.

President Joe Biden additionally weighed in on the killing on Monday, saying Massey ought to nonetheless be alive and lauding prosecutors for his or her “swift actions.”

Biden stated he’s “heartbroken” for Massey’s youngsters and her household.

“Once we name for assist, all of us as Individuals — no matter who we’re or the place we reside — ought to give you the option to take action with out fearing for our lives,” the president stated. “Sonya’s demise by the hands of a responding officer reminds us that each one too usually Black Individuals face fears for his or her security in methods most of the remainder of us don’t.”

In a information convention Monday, Ben Crump, the legal professional representing Massey’s household, contemplated whether or not race performed a task within the lethal taking pictures.

“That’s the lingering query in our neighborhood as a result of many people checked out that video and stated, ‘If it was a white girl, he wouldn’t have achieved this,'” Crump stated.

In a subsequent assertion, the lawyer praised a call to carry the previous deputy with out bond, describing the transfer as “one other essential step within the pursuit of justice for Sonya Massey’s household.”

Grayson’s subsequent court docket date is scheduled for Aug. 26.

“We would like equal justice for Sonya Massey,” Crump stated on the information convention. “We stated it earlier than: no matter Grayson could be convicted of and sentenced to had it been a white girl is identical factor we wish for this Black queen named Sonya Massey.”