SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Body camera footage detailing the moments before and after an Illinois sheriff's deputy recently shot and killed a Springfield woman was released Monday.
The footage shows now-former Deputy Sean Grayson, 30 and white, pulling his gun on Sonya Massey, 36 and Black, in her Springfield, Illinois, home after deputies responded to her 911 call about a possible prowler on July 6. Grayson has since been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct in the shooting and is in custody without bond.
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Editor's note: The video is graphic and difficult to watch. It also includes crude language. The video was released with blurred sections obscuring the body of the woman and the blood from her fatal injury. 5 On Your Side is showing this video to be transparent with the public, because Massey's family asked for it to be released and because of the severity of the crime.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE: GRAPHIC: Body camera video shows deputy fatally shooting a woman in Springfield, Illinois
The video shows two deputies, one of which is Grayson, looking around Massey's house for the reported prowler, but not finding anyone. The deputies then knocked on Massey's door and confirmed with her that they didn't find anyone around her home. Grayson and Massey then enter her home after talking. It's unknown why the two went inside the home as the other deputy's body camera was too far away from the conversation to pick up audio.
Once inside, the deputies ask Massey more questions as she looks for her identification and other paperwork. Massey is then shown walking to the kitchen a minute later to remove a pot of water heating on her stove as Grayson says "We don't need a fire alarm in here." Massey asked why one of the deputies moved back away from the kitchen, to which the other deputy replied "away from your hot steaming water." The three laughed and then Massey said "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."
Grayson asked Massey to repeat herself and she did. Grayson told Massey that she better not or else he would shoot her in the face, using expletives. He then points his pistol at her, telling her to drop the pot.
Massey puts her hands in the air, letting go of the pot, and says "I'm sorry" before ducking behind the counter. The deputies move toward Massey, with their guns drawn, to the other side of the counter before Massey rises and grabs ahold of the pot again before Grayson shoots her. Water from the pot is seen going towards deputies at the same time Massey is shot, and steam rises from the ground after she falls.
"She had boiling water and came at me with boiling water," Grayson told responding officers after the shooting. "I think she set it up on purpose, so, it is what it is."
The video also shows the moments after the shooting, when Grayson discouraged another deputy at the scene from getting his medical kit and administering first aid to Massey because he had shot her in the head, saying "There's nothing we can do." Two minutes after the shooting, Grayson leaves the home to get his medical kit and the other deputy administers aid until paramedics get to the scene.
Sonya Massey's family and their attorney held an incredibly emotional news conference Monday at the Springfield chapter of NAACP.
The attorney for the family, Ben Crump, addressed the media.
"While she's staring down the barrel of his gun that he's drawn on her, he drew the gun on her. She says her last words, 'Sorry, sir. I'm sorry.' She's ducks. And when she stands back up, he shoots her in the face. And then afterwards, his partner who had on his body camera video, because he didn't have his own turned on, he says, 'I'm gonna get my CPR kit.' And what does the shooter say? What does Grayson say? He says something to the effect that 'no it's a headshot, she's done.' While she was still alive," Crump said.
Sonya Massey's father, James Wilburn, also spoke at the news conference, demanding accountability and action.
"The only time I'm gonna see my baby again is when I leave this world. And I don't ever want anybody else in the United States to join this league. I don't care if you don't have enough votes to pass it. But every member of Congress needs to vote today so that nobody else in this United States of America has to go through what we're going through. I want justice for my baby," Wilburn said.
A peace walk began at 3 p.m. outside of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and participants marched to Comer Cox Park, where an open mic and food were made available until 8 p.m., organizers told 5 On Your Side.
Grayson pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance on Thursday.
In a courtroom guarded by a dozen sheriff's deputies with three more patrolling the hall, Cadagin described the actions the former deputy is accused of as “such a departure from the expectations of a civil society.”
More than 30 of Massey's family members and their supporters filled the seats of the courtroom Thursday, several of whom declined to comment afterward.
No one argued with the state's contention that body camera footage of the incident upheld the first requirement in ordering Grayson detained — that there is a strong presumption that the actions alleged in the indictment occurred.
“At no point did this defendant show anything but callousness to human life,” Rodgers said.
Defense attorney Dan Fultz argued for Grayson's release, contending the state's arguments fell short on other arguments. Fultz said Grayson was not a threat to the community because he was compliant and turned himself in within a half-hour after his arrest warrant was issued.
He said the Army veteran owns a home in Riverton, a community just east of Springfield, with his fiancée, whom he plans to marry this fall. His detention would pose a burden on the county, he said, because of Stage 3 colon cancer diagnosed last fall that requires special medical treatment.
Fultz asked for Grayson's release on the condition that weapons be removed from his home, that he undergo a mental health evaluation and he be put on around-the-clock electronic monitoring.
Cadagin decreed that Massey, weighing about 110 pounds, posed no threat to the 6-foot-3, 228-pound Grayson, who was armed and accompanied by another deputy, and after shooting her refused to render aid.
Sheriff Jack Campbell said Wednesday that Grayson was fired because it is evident that the deputy “did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards. … With our badge, we accept enormous responsibility, and if that responsibility is abused, there should be consequences.”
Crump said the charges were 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.”
As many as 200 people gathered Wednesday at the Springfield NAACP building to express support for Massey and her family.
Family and friends said her senseless murder has outraged and rocked the community to its core.
"We asked for transparency, but it saddens me that the whole world gets to see her not only lose her life, but her dignity as well. And it just never should have happened. She should still be here," activist Tiara Standage said.
At a rally for justice, 5 On Your Side's Laura Barczewski asked family friend Zuch-Cari Moore, "Do you think that now that this happened people are going to be even more scared to call the police?"
Moore responded, "We've been scared. Even before they were in her house, she told them that she was scared."
Rally organizers marched for justice and brought people together at Comer Cox Park to fight for justice in a peaceful way as they say returning violence with violence is not the answer.
"We had a lot of people standing behind us in solidarity with our families, so I'm really happy that everybody came out. We're having free haircuts, we got about five barbers doing free haircuts. We have face painters and free food for the community," Standage said.
Advocates even started a petition calling on officials to investigate the Sangamon County sheriff and his entire office.
"We have to find out why we have such a man in office that cares nothing about these smaller communities, because these lives do matter," activist Abbey Giganti said.
"I am enraged that another innocent Black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said after the indictment.
Grayson is due back in court Aug. 26. He has been with the Sangamon County Sheriff's Department about 18 months, Fultz said, after serving as an officer with several other police agencies in central Illinois for about seven years before that.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
