Sonya Massey: Deputy charged in fatal shooting worked for 6 agencies in 4 years

The erstwhile sheriff’s lawman charged pinch execution successful nan fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black female killed wrong her Illinois home, had been employed by a half-dozen constabulary agencies since 2020, according to authorities rule enforcement records.

Sean Grayson’s profession included short stints arsenic a part-time serviceman astatine 3 mini constabulary departments and a full-time occupation astatine a 4th section arsenic good arsenic moving afloat clip astatine 2 sheriff’s offices, each successful cardinal Illinois.

Grayson, 30, who is white, has pleaded not blameworthy to first-degree murder, aggravated artillery pinch a firearm and charismatic misconduct charges successful nan July 6 killing. He was fired past week by nan Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said Massey had called 911 to study a suspected prowler. Two deputies yet showed up astatine her location successful Springfield, astir 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.

Sheriff’s assemblage camera video released Monday confirmed prosecutors’ earlier relationship of nan tense infinitesimal erstwhile Grayson yelled crossed a antagonistic astatine Massey to group down a cookware of basking water. He past threatened to sprout nan unarmed woman, Massey ducked and concisely rose, and Grayson fired his pistol astatine her. Massey was deed 3 times, pinch a fatal changeable to her head.

At a news convention Tuesday successful Springfield, civilian authorities lawyer Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, asserted that nan Justice Department had opened an investigation into nan incident, “which is welcome, because location person been immoderate concerns and revelations by nan family that we deliberation request to beryllium investigated.” He said he did not cognize nan scope of nan probe.

But successful a statement, nan Department of Justice said it “is alert of and assessing nan circumstances surrounding nan tragic officer-involved death” and said it “will proceed to way nan criminal case.”

James Wilburn, Massey’s father, called for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign.

“I want to show y’all nan sheriff present is an embarrassment,” Wilburn said. “This man (Grayson) should person ne'er had a badge. And he should person ne'er had a gun. He should person ne'er been fixed nan opportunity to termination my child.”

A telephone connection was near pinch Campbell’s office.

The Associated Press is seeking Grayson’s employment history from nan six agencies.

The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board shows Grayson was hired portion clip connected Aug. 11, 2020, by nan Pawnee Police Department. He besides was hired portion clip connected Feb. 4, 2021, by nan Kincaid Police Department and connected May 20, 2021, by nan Virden Police Department.

Two months later, he was hired afloat clip by nan Auburn Police Department and remained location until May 1, 2022, erstwhile he was hired afloat clip by nan Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Grayson near Logan County connected April 28, 2023, and was hired afloat clip connected May 1, 2023, by nan Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

Trending Now

He received his part-time Law Enforcement Certification connected June 5, 2021, according to nan Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. His certification position presently sounds arsenic suspended connected nan board’s website.

Grayson’s lawyer, Daniel Fultz, declined comment.

Wilburn and Sonya Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, met pinch Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton astatine a Baptist religion Tuesday morning.

“They understood that oftentimes nan Sonya Masseys of nan world don’t get owed process of nan law. And that they were committed to saying this would beryllium a adjacent and transparent investigation and process astatine each level,” Crump said.

The family wants Congress to o.k. nan George Floyd Justice successful Policing Act and nan John Lewis Voting Rights Act, some of which U.S. House Democrats approved successful 2021 earlier nan authorities died successful nan Senate. The first intends to ace down connected constabulary misconduct, excessive unit and group bias successful rule enforcement, while nan voting authorities enactment would require section jurisdictions to activity national support earlier changing voting laws.

“Every personnel of Congress needs to ballot coming truthful that cipher other successful this United States of America has to spell done what we’re going through,” Wilburn said.

In a connection released Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris said she is joining President Joe Biden successful calling connected Congress to walk nan George Floyd Justice successful Policing Act.

“Sonya Massey deserved to beryllium safe,” Harris said. “After she called nan constabulary for help, she was tragically killed successful her ain location astatine nan hands of a responding serviceman sworn to protect and serve. The disturbing footage released yesterday confirms what we cognize from nan lived experiences of truthful galore — we person overmuch activity to do to guarantee that our justness strategy afloat lives up to its name.”

Massey’s oldest child, 17-year-old Malachi Hill Massey, said he watched nan opening nan assemblage camera video of nan shooting of his mother but didn’t decorativeness it.

“I don’t person nary words for this,” Malachi Massey said.

Grayson was being held without enslaved successful nan Sangamon County Jail. If convicted, he faces situation sentences of 45 years to life for murder, six to 30 years for artillery and 2 to 5 years for misconduct.

___

Williams reported from Detroit. Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer successful Washington, D.C., contributed.