An Illinois sheriff’s deputy has been charged with multiple crimes in the shooting death of Sonia Massey, a Springfield woman who had called authorities to report a possible intruder.
Deputy Sheriff Shawn Grayson is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a firearm and three counts of official misconduct, according to a statement from Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Millhiser.
Grayson pleaded not guilty at Thursday’s hearing and was denied pretrial release.
The deputy was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office this week, according to a statement from Sheriff Jack Campbell posted on the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on Wednesday.
“It is clear that the deputy did not act in accordance with his training or in accordance with the standards of our agency,” Campbell’s statement said. “Deputy Grayson’s actions do not reflect the values and training of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office or the entire law enforcement community.”
According to a statement from the sheriff’s office obtained by ABC News, around 12:50 a.m. on July 6, two deputies were dispatched to a home in Springfield, Illinois, to investigate a possible wanderer.
“At approximately 1:21 a.m., officers reported a shooting and a woman had been shot,” the sheriff’s statement read. “Officers immediately administered first aid until emergency responders arrived. The woman was transported to St. John’s Hospital where she was later pronounced deceased. No officers were injured during the incident.”
The shooting was investigated by the Illinois State Police (ISP) at the request of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office for use of deadly force, and Milhiser said the investigation and review of body camera footage determined Grayson was not justified in using deadly force.
According to charging documents filed in Sangamon County Court, Grayson allegedly shot Massey in the face after a deputy “violently yelled” at Massey to put down a pot of boiling water. Prosecutors said Grayson then blocked his partner from getting a medical kit to help Massey.
The other deputy continued the rescue anyway and stayed with Massey until emergency responders arrived, according to the indictment, and Grayson did not attempt to rescue him.
Grayson only activated his body camera after the shooting, according to the indictment. The other deputy had activated his camera as soon as he arrived on the scene, the indictment states.
The Sangamon County Prosecutor’s Office has not yet released body camera footage of the incident, but is expected to do so by Monday, July 22.
Ben Crump, an attorney for Massey’s family, said news of Grayson’s indictment was a step forward in achieving justice for Sonia’s loved ones.
“While nothing can undo this officer’s heinous actions, we hope the scales of justice will continue to hold him accountable and we demand transparency every step of the way,” Crump said. statement.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker released a statement saying Massie deserves the protection he has sought from law enforcement.
“My heart breaks for Sonia’s children, her family and friends and all who knew and loved her, and I am outraged that another innocent Black woman has lost her life at the hands of a police officer,” Pritzker said in a statement.
Grayson’s lawyer did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
ABC News’ Emily Chang and Tesfaye Negacy contributed to this report.
