Sonya Massey’s Father Reacts To Body-Cam Footage Of Fatal Police Shooting, President Biden Issues Statement 

Posted on by EDITORIAL FEATURES

Sonya Massey’s father believes his daughter “feared for her life” when she rebuked Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Graysons before he shot her three times in the head.  


On Monday (July 22), Illinois State Police released the harrowing body-cam footage of the killing of Sonya Massey by an Illinois Sheriff’s deputy. The 36-minute video shows white Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy Sean Graysons firing three shots at the 38-year-old Black woman’s head.  

Graysons and another officer responded to Massey’s home after she called 911 to report a possible intruder on July 6. The situation escalated rapidly after the officers asked Massey to remove a pot of boiler water from the stove. As they move back, she asks them where they’re going. Grayson replied, “Away from your hot steaming water.” 

Massey then states, “Away from my hot steaming water? Oh, I’ll rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Graysons then threatens, “I’ll f###### shoot you in your f###### face,” and raises his points his gun before Massy ducks, apologizing repeatedly. He screams at her to “drop the pot” before shooting her in the head. 

Minutes after shooting Massey dead, Graysons explains the incident to another officer.  

“She had boiling water and came at me with boiling water,” he says in the video. “She said she was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus and came at (me) with boiling water.” He also states, “Yeah I’m good, this f###### b#### is crazy.” 

Sean Grayson has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. If convicted of murder, he faces a sentence of 45 years to life. He currently remains in custody without bail. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is representing the family of Massey.  

Sonya Massey’s Father Speaks Out

In an interview with ABC Mornings on Tuesday morning (July 23), Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said law enforcement told them conflicting stories.  

“I was never told that it was a deputy involved shooting,” Wilburn explained to Gayle King. “We were under the impression that she was killed by the intruder or some other person from the street or something and they just went in there and found her dead body.” 

Wilburn continued, “Then there was a story that this was self-inflicted, a self-inflicted gunshot wound. So I think the coverup started from just right after it happened and thank God for the body camera footage.”   

King asked his thoughts on why his daughter told the officer, “I’ll rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Wilburn replied, “I think that she feared for her life.” 

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President Biden released a statement following the release of the footage. 

“Sonya Massey, a beloved mother, friend, daughter, and young Black woman, should be alive today,” Biden said. “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.”