As if the shooting of Sonya Massey couldn’t get anymore disturbing, her father spoke out for the first time since her killing, admitting he originally had no idea it was a police officer who pulled the trigger on his daughter.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump joined Massey’s family in a press conference following the release of the body camera footage, and he appeared on a CBS Mornings segment with Gayle King along with Massey’s father, James Wilburn.
“I was never told it was a deputy involved shooting,” Wilburn said to King. “We were under the impression that she was killed by the intruder or some other person from the street and [the police] just went in there and found her dead body. I did not find out that the deputies killed her until my brother asked for Sonya’s address and I gave it to him, and he said, ‘Brother, this says deputies involved.’”
Wilburn said he also heard conspiracies of the shooting being self-inflicted. He believes the cover up began right after the shooting happened. When asked about why Massey told Grayson, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Wilburn said he believed his daughter was in concern of her safety.
“I think she feared for her life — some premonition that she had … and it seems he’s just an emissary of Satan and that’s what caused him to do what he did. It’s just unexplainable,” Wilburn said.
On Monday, the Illinois State Police released a horrifying 36-minute video including the body camera footage from both former Sangamon Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson and his partner the night of July 6 when they responded to Massey’s home.
She called 911 to report a potential home intruder. The encounter resulted in the officers getting apprehensive over a pot of boiling water Massey held.
Though feet away from her, they drew their service weapons and ordered her to drop the pot. “Okay! I’m sorry!” were her last words as she ducked behind the counter. Seconds later, when she popped back up, the deputies shot three times toward her and the steaming water splashed across the floor. Massey was fatally struck in the face.
Crump criticized Grayson for Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office being his sixth police gig in just under four years. He also cited two DUI’s the officer had on his record. “This so-called police officer should’ve never been on the sheriff’s force. We agree with the judge at the bond hearing. He is a threat to public safety,” Crump said.
Amidst all of the political noise around President Joe Biden dropping out of the primary election, his latest statement was in reaction to Massey’s shooting.
“Sonya Massey, a beloved mother, friend, daughter, and young Black woman, should be alive today. When we call for help, all of us as Americans – regardless of who we are or where we live – should be able to do so without fearing for our lives. Sonya’s death at the hands of a responding officer reminds us that all too often Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not,” Biden said in a statement. “I commend the swift actions that were taken by the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office. While we wait for the case to be prosecuted, let us pray to comfort the grieving.”
Vice President and newly-announced Democratic primary candidate Kamala Harris also released a statement saying she joined Biden in commending the action of the State’s Attorney’s Office in indicting Grayson and also calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Police Act.
Grayson faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He’s being held without bail, per jail records.