Illinois authorities fired a deputy from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and charged him with the murder of a woman who called 9-1-1 on Wednesday, a sheriff’s office press release reads.
The sheriff’s office said Sean Grayson, a sheriff’s deputy, fatally shooting Sonya Massey on July 6 was not “in accordance with our standards” and “that the deputy did not act as trained.” (RELATED: Police Release Footage Of Milwaukee Shooting Near RNC)
Massey called 9-1-1 to report an intruder in her house, and thirty minutes after authorities arrived, she was shot, State Attorney John Milhiser said, WCIA reported. Milhiser mentioned that bodycam footage did not support the deputy’s decision to use deadly force and that the officer was charged with first degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
An Illinois sheriff’s deputy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a woman inside her home. https://t.co/3dzHlZOeAK
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 18, 2024
“Instead, innocent and unarmed, she was gunned down by an officer of the law. My heart breaks for Sonya’s children, for her family and friends and for all who knew and loved her, and I am enraged that another innocent black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer,” Democratic Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a press statement.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) July 18, 2024
The bodycam footage will be released to the public July 22, according to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office’s. The footage will be uncensored save for “certain images” out of respect for the Massey family, the state’s attorney office said, WCIA reported.
“With our badge we accept enormous responsibility, and if that responsibility is abused, there should be consequences,” Sheriff Jack Campbell said in a statement.
Ben Crump, the Massey family’s attorney, said in a statement to the press that the indictment “marks an important milestone in the pursuit of justice” and that he and the family remained “committed to uncovering the truth” about this affair.
NEWS ALERT: Here is our statement on the indictment and arrest of the officer who allegedly shot and killed Sonya Massey after she called police for help. We stand with her family in seeking accountability and transparency. #JusticeForSonya pic.twitter.com/PLkDyt89Kz
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 18, 2024
Grayson’s first court appearance is set for Thursday, WCIA News reported.
