Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old African American woman was shot and killed in her home in Woodside Township by Sean Grayson, a white deputy of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sangamon County, Illinois on July 6, 2024. The killing contributed to the ongoing issue of unarmed African Americans being killed by the police.
Massey was born on February 12, 1988. Much of her early life is unknown but prior to her death she was 36 years old with two children. On July 6, 2024, Massey called 911 after she believed someone had broken into her home. Two deputies arrived at the home including Grayson and an unidentified deputy. The two deputies searched Massey’s backyard and the immediate vicinity of her property but could not find any evidence of any suspicious activity or persons.
They then knocked at Massey door for three minutes waiting for her to answer. When she finally did, the two deputies indicated they did not find any evidence of a break in. The unidentified deputy then walked around the side of Massey’s house to report the license plate number of a vehicle in her driveway that she informed them that was not hers. As Massey and Grayson continued their conversation, the unidentified deputy then walked back to her front door as the three entered her house. Grayson then asked Massey to provide her driver’s license and discussed the vehicle parked in her driveway.
After the deputies searched her home, they then asked Massey to check a pot of water boiling on her stove. As Massey picked up the pot of water and walked from her stove to her sink, the deputies moved backwards. Massey asked what they were doing? She repeated her question and said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson then drew his gun and replied, “You better fucking not, I swear to God I’ll fucking shoot you right in your fucking face. Massey told the deputies “Ok, I’m sorry” and dropped to the floor behind the kitchen counter. The deputies continued ordering Massey to dropped the pot of water, Grayson then fired three shots that fatally wounded her. Massey was pronounced dead at St. John Hospital in Springfield, Illinois.
On July 22, 2024, body camera footage of the shooting was release to the public. Following the shooting, an investigation was opened by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office which was turned over to the Illinois State Police. Following the investigation the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office fired Grayson and put the unidentified officer on administrative leave.
On July 17, 2024, a grand jury indicted Grayson on five counts, including three counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, and one count of official misconduct. Massey’s family retained Benjamin Crump as their attorney to represent them while both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Massey’s killing. Illinois Governor Jay Robert Pritzker and Illinois Senator Dick Durban also condemned her killing. Protests of the Massey killing were held at multiple cities across the United States including New York City, Atlanta, and Hartford, Connecticut. In February 2025, Sonya Massey’s family reached a settlement with Sangamon County for a payment of $10 million.
