The body camera footage of an incident where an Illinois sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a Springfield woman has been released. The footage shows now-former Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, who is white, pulling his gun on Sonya Massey, 36, who is Black, in her Springfield home. Deputies had responded to her 911 call about a possible prowler on July 6. Grayson has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. He is currently in custody without bond.
The footage reveals that two deputies, including Grayson, looked around Massey’s house for the reported prowler but found no one. They then knocked on Massey’s door and confirmed with her that they hadn’t found anyone. Grayson and Massey then entered her home after talking briefly. The reason for them entering the house is unclear as the other deputy’s body camera was too far to capture audio.
Inside the house, the deputies asked Massey more questions while she searched for her identification and paperwork. Massey walked to the kitchen to remove a pot of water from the stove as Grayson remarked, “We don’t need a fire alarm in here.” Massey questioned why one of the deputies moved back, and the other deputy replied, “away from your hot steaming water.” They laughed, and Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson asked Massey to repeat herself, and she did. He then told her not to or he would shoot her in the face, using expletives. Grayson pointed his gun at her, telling her to drop the pot. Massey raised her hands and apologized before ducking behind the counter. The deputies moved toward her with their guns drawn. Massey stood up and grabbed the pot again before Grayson shot her. The pot’s water splashed toward the deputies, and steam rose from the ground as Massey fell.
Grayson later told responding officers that Massey had boiling water and came at him with it, suggesting she had set it up on purpose. The video also shows Grayson discouraging another deputy from administering first aid, saying “There’s nothing we can do.” He later retrieved his medical kit, but it was too late. Paramedics arrived and took over.
Massey’s family and their attorney, Benjamin Crump, held an emotional press conference at the Springfield chapter of the NAACP. Crump emphasized that Massey’s last words were “I’m sorry” before Grayson shot her. He also criticized Grayson for discouraging first aid. Massey’s father, James Wilburn, demanded accountability and action, stating that no one else should experience what his family is going through. A peace walk followed the press conference, with participants marching to Comer Cox Park.
Grayson pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance. Prosecutors described his actions as a severe departure from societal expectations. More than 30 of Massey’s family members attended the hearing, showing strong support for the charges. No one disputed that the body camera footage supported the murder charge.
Defense attorney Dan Fultz argued for Grayson’s release, citing his compliance and medical condition. He suggested removing weapons from Grayson’s home and placing him under electronic monitoring. However, the judge highlighted that Massey posed no threat to the armed Grayson and another deputy, and that Grayson showed callousness by refusing to render aid.
Sheriff Jack Campbell stated that Grayson was fired for not acting according to training or standards. Attorney Ben Crump called the charges a step toward justice for Massey’s family, who have suffered greatly. Around 200 people gathered at the Springfield NAACP building to support Massey’s family. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed his anger over the incident and supported the indictment.
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Grayson, who has been with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department for 18 months, is due back in court on August 26. Before joining the department, he served as an officer with several other police agencies in central Illinois for about seven years.
