Washington, D.C. – President Joe Biden issued an emotional statement expressing heartbreak over the death of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy in her Springfield, Illinois, kitchen on July 6. Biden emphasized that Massey “should still be alive today.”
Massey called 911 to report a prowler on her property, leading to the arrival of two Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputies. After searching the vicinity, the deputies entered her home to speak with her. During a brief conversation, in which Massey was holding a pot of boiling water, Deputy Sean Grayson shot her after she made a comment about “rebuking him in the name of Jesus.”
Massey’s daughter confirmed to The Guardian that her mother suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. The release of the incident’s bodycam footage has drawn widespread attention and condemnation.
Biden, 81, who recently announced he would not seek re-election in 2024, marked this as his first statement since the announcement. Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is likely to secure the Democratic nomination with the backing of key party figures, including Biden, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Amy Klobuchar.
“When we call for help, all of us as Americans – regardless of who we are or where we live – should be able to do so without fearing for our lives,” Biden wrote. “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.”
Last week, Grayson pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. The bodycam video supports prosecutors’ account of the incident, showing the moment when Grayson yelled at Massey to set down the pot of hot water before he shot her.
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, has called for transparency in the investigation and prosecution. “The only time I will see my baby again is when I leave this world,” Wilburn said. “And I don’t ever want anybody else in the United States to join this league.”
Ben Crump, the family’s lawyer and a prominent civil rights attorney, criticized Grayson’s justification as “disingenuous.” “She needed a helping hand. She did not need a bullet to her face,” Crump said.
Grayson, who was fired last week, is being held without bond in the Sangamon County Jail. If convicted, he faces 45 years to life in prison for murder, 6 to 30 years for battery, and 2 to 5 years for misconduct. His lawyer, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment.
Massey’s death is part of a troubling pattern of Black individuals killed by police in their homes. Recent cases include Roger Fortson, shot by a Florida deputy in May, Atatiana Jefferson, killed by a Fort Worth officer in 2019, and Botham Jean, fatally shot by a Dallas officer in 2018. Crump has represented the families in each case, advocating for accountability in the killings of Black people by police.
During Massey’s funeral, Crump stated that the video would “shock the conscience of America,” underscoring the urgent need for systemic change and justice for Massey’s family.
