The former sheriff’s deputy charged with shooting and killing Sonia Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who was shot to death in her Illinois home, had worked for six police agencies since 2020, according to state law enforcement records.
Shawn Grayson’s career includes brief stints as a part-time officer at three small police departments in central Illinois, followed by a full-time position at a fourth department and full-time work at two sheriff’s offices.
Grayson, 30, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a firearm and official misconduct in the July 6 shooting. He was fired last week from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department/UPI/Shutterstock
Authorities said Massey called 911 to report she was wandering, and two officers eventually arrived at her home in Springfield, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
The sheriff’s body camera video was released Monday. The incident confirmed prosecutors’ earlier account of tense moments when Grayson yelled over the counter for Massey to put down a pot of hot water, then Grayson threatened to shoot the unarmed woman, and Massey ducked and momentarily rose to his feet before Grayson fired his handgun at her, hitting her three times, including once in the head.
At a press conference in Springfield on Tuesday, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, confirmed that the Justice Department has opened an investigation into the case, saying, “We welcome this because there have been some concerns and revelations from the family that we believe warrant an investigation.” He said he did not know the scope of the investigation.
But the Justice Department said in a statement that it was “aware of and evaluating the circumstances surrounding this tragic officer-involved death” and that it “will continue to pursue the criminal case.”
AP
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, has called for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign.
“I want to tell you all that the sheriff here is a disgrace,” Wilburn said. “This man (Grayson) should never have had a badge. He should never have had a gun. He should never have been given the opportunity to kill my child.”
A phone message was left at Campbell’s office.
Via Reuters
The Associated Press has asked six news agencies to disclose Grayson’s employment history.
According to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Commission, Grayson was hired part-time by the Pawnee Police Department on Aug. 11, 2020. He was also hired part-time by the Kinkaid Police Department on Feb. 4, 2021 and by the Virden Police Department on May 20, 2021.
Two months later, he was hired full-time by the Auburn Police Department, remaining there until being hired full-time by the Logan County Sheriff’s Office on May 1, 2022. Grayson will leave Logan County on April 28, 2023, and be hired full-time by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office on May 1, 2023.
According to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, he received his part-time law enforcement certification on June 5, 2021. His certification status is currently listed as “suspended” on the board’s website.
Grayson’s lawyer, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment.
Wilburn and Sonia Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, met with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton at the Baptist church Tuesday morning.
“They understood that people like Sonia Massey around the world often don’t receive due process of law, and they were committed to saying this was a fair and transparent investigation and process at every level,” Crump said.
The family wants Congress to approve the George Floyd Police Justice Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, both bills approved by U.S. House Democrats in 2021 but died in the Senate. The former aims to crack down on police misconduct, excessive use of force and racial bias in law enforcement, while the Voting Rights Act would require local governments to seek federal approval before making changes to voting laws.
“Every member of Congress needs to vote today so that no one else in the United States of America has to go through what we’re going through,” Wilburn said.
Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Tuesday that she and President Joe Biden will urge Congress to pass the George Floyd Police Justice Act.
“Sonia Massey deserved to be safe,” said Harris. “She called for police help, but was tragically murdered in her own home at the hands of the officers who were sworn to protect and serve. The shocking footage released yesterday confirms what we know from so many people’s lived-upon experiences: we have much work to do to ensure our justice system lives up to its name.”
Massey’s eldest son, 17-year-old Malachi Hill Massey, said he watched the beginning of the body camera video of his mother being shot but not the end.
“I have no words for this,” Malachi Massey said.
Grayson is being held without bail in the Sangamon County Jail. If convicted, he faces 45 years to life in prison for the murder charge, six to 30 years for the assault charge and two to five years for the criminal mischief charge.
