Footage from a police body camera has shown a white officer in the US state of Illinois shooting dead a 36-year-old Black woman in her home after she called 911 to report a suspected intruder.
The 36-minute video, released by Illinois State Police on Monday, shows the moments leading up to, during and after the July 6 shooting of Sonya Massey, who had called the emergency line to report a potential âprowlerâ at her residence in Springfield.
In the video, two deputies are seen in a tense encounter with Massey after entering her home late at night. It culminates in one of the deputies, 30-year-old Sean Grayson, yelling at Massey to put down a pot of hot water, threatening to shoot her and then three shots being fired, one hitting her fatally in the head.
Grayson was indicted last week for first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He pleaded not guilty.
What led up to the shooting?
The video shows the two deputies reaching Masseyâs home at about 1am.
Massey, who had undergone treatment for mental health issues, according to her familyâs lawyer, immediately says, âDonât hurt meâ, and seems confused while letting the deputies in.
Inside her home, Grayson, standing in the living room, points to a pot sitting on a flame on the kitchen stove and says, âWe donât need a fire while weâre here.â
Massey retrieves the pot and unexpectedly says, âI rebuke you in the name of Jesus.â
Grayson, separated by a counter dividing the kitchen and living room, responds: âYou better [expletive] not or I swear to God Iâll [expletive] shoot you in your [expletive] face.â
He then pulls out his 9mm pistol and aims it at her. She ducks behind the kitchen counter and says, âIâm sorry.â
Both deputies continue to scream âdrop the [expletive] potâ before three shots are heard.

After shooting Massey, Grayson initially discourages his partner from grabbing a medical kit to save her, saying: âYou can go get it, but thatâs a headshot ⌠Thereâs nothing you can do, man.â
Explaining himself to responding police, Grayson said, âShe had boiling water and came at me, with boiling water.â
The sheriffâs office fired Grayson, saying he did not âact as trained or in accordance with our standardsâ.

âShock the conscience of Americaâ
Masseyâs family lawyer, Ben Crump, slammed Graysonâs defence in a Monday news conference, calling it âdisingenuousâ and said the shooting would âshock the conscience of Americaâ.
âShe needed a helping hand. She did not need a bullet to her face,â Crump said.
Masseyâs father, James Wilburn, demanded the county court system be completely open with its investigation and prosecution and transparent with the public.
âThe only time I will see my baby again is when I leave this world,â Wilburn said. âAnd I donât ever want anybody else in the United States to join this league.â
US President Joe Biden issued a statement on Masseyâs death, saying Monday it was a reminder âthat all too often Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do notâ.
Masseyâs death is the latest incident of Black people killed by police in their homes in recent years.
In May, a Hispanic Florida sheriffâs deputy shot and killed Roger Fortson, when the Air Force senior airman opened the door of his home in Fort Walton Beach armed with a handgun pointed down. The deputy, Eddie Duran, was fired.
A white Dallas police officer fatally shot Botham Jean, who was unarmed, in 2018 after mistaking his apartment for her own. Amber Guyger, the former officer, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
âCongress must pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act now,â Biden said referring to the sweeping police reform package.
The death in 2020 of George Floyd, at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin â who was filmed kneeling on the Black manâs neck for more than nine minutes in Minneapolis â prompted worldwide protests against police brutality and racism.
The measure, which was initially introduced in 2021 to stop aggressive law enforcement tactics, misconduct and racial bias, has faced repeated roadblocks in Congress and has yet to move forward.
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