Deputy Charged With Murder of Woman Who Called 911

UPDATE Jul 18, 2024 11:14 AM CDT

A sheriff's deputy in Illinois who fatally shot a woman inside her home after she called 911 about a possible intruder has been charged with murder, reports the AP. Deputy Sean Grayson was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in the death of Sonya Massey. A statement from the state's attorney doesn't detail what preceded the shooting of Massey inside her Springfield home, but it says body-camera evidence suggests the shooting was unwarranted.

Jul 16, 2024 10:55 AM CDT

An Illinois woman who called police to report a possible intruder at her home was shot dead when deputies arrived. Sonya Massey, 36, was fatally shot by Sangamon County sheriff's deputies who arrived at her Springfield home before 1am on July 6, according to state police, who are investigating at the request of the sheriff's office, per NBC News. On the day of the shooting, the sheriff's office said two deputies responded to a 911 call, searched the area, then "reported that shots had been fired, resulting in a female being struck by gunfire." Massey, a Black woman, was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The sheriff's office said no deputies were injured but released no further information, leaving plenty of unanswered questions. "It is extremely hard to imagine how a woman who calls the police out of fear of an intruder ends up shot in the head by police at her own home," family attorney Ben Crump said Thursday, demanding body camera footage be immediately released so "the public can see what happened in those thirty deadly minutes." State police said body camera video and other evidence would not be immediately released to "protect the integrity of the legal process," per ABC News.

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Massey's death has prompted protests spanning several days. "What do we want? Body cam! When do we want it? Now!" individuals gathered outside the Sangamon County Building shouted Monday, per WICS. "Black people are afraid to call the police because of this exact situation," an organizer added during a weekend protest, per WAND. Massey, a single mother of two, had herself voiced concerns "about being killed by the police," a cousin tells the Illinois Times. Protesters have questioned why the deputies involved have not been named or disciplined. They are said to be on paid administrative leave. (More police shooting stories.)