Sonya Massey’s father, James Wilburn, is grateful for police body cameras as the investigation continues into his daughter’s murder. Massey, a Black woman, was fatally shot by a white police officer after calling for help about a suspected prowler outside her Springfield, Illinois, home earlier this month.
In a recent interview with CBS Morning, Wilburn, accompanied by attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, spoke emotionally about his 36-year-old daughter, one of his four daughters. Before the video was released, Wilburn mentioned that he had received conflicting information about the events of that fatal Saturday night (July 6) and was initially unaware that it was a police-related shooting.
“We were under the impression she was killed by the intruder or some other person from the street or something and they just went and in there and just found her dead body,” Wilburn told CBS’s Gayle King. “I did not find out that the deputies killed her until my brother asked for Sonya’s address, and I gave it to him, and he said, ‘Brother, this says deputies involved.’ And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’”
He continued, “But we were all misled to believe that, and then there was a story that this was self-inflicted—a self-inflicted gunshot. So I think the coverup started from just right after it happened. Thank god for the body camera footage. Probably the most horrible and heart wrenching thing we’ve seen in our lives but for not for the bodycam footage we would not have known that this occurred.”
The released clip from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department shows authorities arriving at Massey’s home.
At one point, she even tells the officers she loves them before they enter her home after questioning her about a damaged vehicle nearby.
The bodycam footage corroborates the prosecutor’s initial claims of a tense moment when former officer Sean Grayson yelled at Massey from across a counter, ordering her to set down a pot of hot water.
However, things quickly escalated after Massey appeared to tell Grayson,
“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson warns,”You’d better f—king not. I swear to God, I’ll f—king shoot you right in your f—king face.”
Massey is seen apologizing and taking cover before Grayson fires at her, according to prosecutors. The video captures the sound of three gunshots.
Following the shooting, Grayson is said to have instructed his partner not to provide medical assistance to Massey due to the seriousness of her injuries.
When the other deputy mentions he plans to retrieve his med kit shortly after the incident, Grayson can be heard stating:
“She’s done. You can go get it, but that’s a headshot.”
The former officer entered a not-guilty plea to charges including first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct.
He is currently detained at the Sangamon County Jail as he waits for his trial.
If convicted, he faces prison sentences of 45 years to life for murder, 6 to 30 years for battery and 2 to 5 years for misconduct.
