In Springfield, Illinois, Deputy Sheriff Grayson is facing serious charges after he fatally shot Sonya Massey, a Black woman, in her home last month. Grayson, who is 30 years old, said he thought Massey was threatening him when she called 911 and then said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson believed this meant she wanted to hurt him. He drew his gun when Massey ducked behind a counter. He moved around the counter because he feared she might have a weapon.
Massey, who was 36, had called the police around 1 a.m. about a suspected intruder. When Grayson and another deputy arrived, he told Massey to move a pan of boiling water off the stove. They shared a brief laugh about the hot water, but then things went wrong.
Massey turned to face Grayson while holding the pot and said she was going to “rebuke” him twice. Grayson thought this meant she was going to kill him. He ordered her to put the pot down, but Massey ducked behind a counter and then appeared to grab the pot again. Grayson moved toward her, worried she might have a hidden weapon.
Massey, who struggled with mental health issues, had met the deputies at her door saying, “Please God,” and asked Grayson to pass her a Bible. When Grayson heard her religious remarks, he pulled out his gun and told her to drop the pot.
Grayson reported that Massey then stood up, raised the pot over her head, and tried to throw the boiling water at him. He said he was scared of getting burned, which might cause serious harm or even death. He fired three shots, hitting Massey below the eye.
By July 9, when he finished his field report, Grayson had been placed on administrative leave. The report shows he was allowed to review the body camera footage, most of which was recorded by the other deputy’s camera. Grayson thought his camera was on when they first met Massey at her door, but he only activated it right after the shooting.
The report from the other deputy was not included in the release, which featured seven other officers’ reports from the shooting site, all dated July 6, and one report from July 7. This last report was heavily redacted and came from a deputy who had a casual conversation with someone who knew Massey.
