Sonya Massey’s father is grateful for technology. Without it, he and his family would have never found out that their daughter Sonya was killed by a cop and not an intruder, as they were initially led to believe.
The technology they have to be thankful for is the body cam. Footage from a body cam worn by cops is what showed that Sonya Massey was killed by the very same cops she called to come rescue her.
Without the footage, Sonya Massey’s father is convinced the truth would have been swept under the covers.
Sonya Massey’s Father Says Family Was ‘Misled’
James Wilburn spoke about his daughter’s case during a press conference at the Springfield NAACP building on July 22, 2024. He said, “If it were not for the body cam footage, we would not have known that this occurred.”
The statement comes after body cam footage was released. It showed his daughter getting fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy who responded to her 911 call.
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It was a call she made because she feared an intruder was in her home. The footage showed the critical moments between Massey and Sean Grayson, the cop who shot her, preceding her demise. Wilburn said it was very difficult for the family to watch.
Wilburn said, “It’s probably the most horrible, heart-wrenching thing that we’ve ever seen in our lives. But if it were not for the body cam footage, we would not have known that this occurred.”
According to him, the family was never informed Sonya Massey died in a police shooting, and they were “under the impression” that “she was killed by the intruder” and that police had found her dead.
Wilburn said that they were even “misled” to think that she passed on from “self-inflicted wounds.”
What Happened to Sonya Massey?
The footage, released by the Illinois State Police on Monday, July 22, showed two deputies arriving at Massey’s home on the morning of July 6. The deputies seemingly searched the front of her home and backyard before knocking on Massey’s door and following her inside. While inside, they got her information as she sat on a couch.
Massey stood up to remove a pot of hot water from the stove, during which time she told the deputies, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson responded by telling her that she “better not.” He also warned her that he would shoot her in her face, according to the Times.
Mere seconds later, he took out his gun and ordered Massey to drop the pot she was holding before firing two shots at her. Sonya Massey’s father was asked about what his daughter meant when she told the cops the words, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
In response, he said, “I think that she feared for her life. There was something, some premonition that she had … It’s just unexplainable.” Massey leaves behind a 17-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter, and her death has not been easy on the family.
Speaking about it, Sonya Massey’s father got emotional, saying that the family was “taking it day to day.” He said, amidst tears, “They’re having a very hard time. They’re doing as best they can.”
Damage Control After Sonya Massey’s Shooting
Following the release of the body cam footage, President Joe Biden released a statement frowning at Massey’s killing. Biden said, “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.”
He also commended the decision of the Springfield State’s Attorney’s office to charge Grayson with murder while urging Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The bill is aimed at curbing police misconduct.
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The Massey family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, described Sonya’s shooting incident as “heinous” in a press conference on Monday, July 22. He also added, “Until we get justice for Sonya Massey, we rebuke this discriminatory justice system in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson is facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. But he has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond at the Menard County Detention Facility.
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