Sonya Massey Latest: Scanner Audio Reveals Officer Attempted to Claim Victim Died from ‘Self-Inflicted’ Gunshot Wound
Audio from the scanner shows a deputy claim the gunshot wounds were 'self-inflicted' in the Sonya Massey killing.
July 24 2024, Published 12:40 p.m. ET
The family of Sonya Massey believes officers attempted to cover-up the shooting when talking with police dispatch, as one cop confirms the mother-of-two died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In the early hours of July 6, Massey, 36, who had mental health problems, called police to her home in Springfield, Illinois, to report a possible intruder. Two Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies responded to the call.
Sonya Massey, a mother of two, was fatally shot after calling 911 for a possible intruder, officials said.
The deputies searched the area for 30 minutes and didn’t find a suspect, so they went inside Massey’s home to talk with her. The deputies asked her to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove and the situation escalated quickly, ending with Deputy Sean Grayson shooting her three times, killing her, as RadarOnline.com previously reported.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Ben Crump, attorney for the Massey family, stated audio from the dispatcher on the night of the shooting has an officer claim Massey’s wounds were self-inflicted.
Ben Crump and members of the Massey family spoke at a press conference on Tuesday.
Crump told the media one family member was told Massey was shot by an intruder. The family only found out through the media that she had been shot dead by a sheriff’s deputy.
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said: “If it wasn't for the camera footage, [law enforcement] would have lied their way out of this.”
Wilburn added that Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell should resign.
Ben Crump said the family is pursuing every legal action and a civil lawsuit could be taking place.
Wilburn said: “I want to tell y'all the sheriff here is an embarrassment. This man (Grayson) should have never had a badge. And he should have never had a gun. He should have never been given the opportunity to kill my child.”
The audio from the scanner traffic on July 6 was obtained by The Guardian, which has one of the deputies calling the gunshot wounds “self-inflicted.” When asked to confirm, the person repeats the word “self-inflicted.”
At the press conference, Jimmie Crawford, the father of Massey’s daughter, said he was told the perpetrator was a neighbor.
Sean Grayson was arrested and charged with first degree murder in the death of Massey.
The Department of Justice has confirmed that an investigation is underway and Crump said given the circumstances around the case, the DOJ’s involvement is welcomed.
Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have issued statements of support for the Massey family, with Harris calling the death “senseless.”
Biden also urged Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which aims to crack down on police misconduct, excessive force and racial bias in law enforcement.
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At the press conference, Wilburn said: “Every member of Congress needs to vote today so that nobody else in this United States of America has to go through what we're going through.”
Grayson has since been fired and pleaded not guilty to charges of first degree murder, officials said.
He was booked into the Sangamon County Jail and was being held without bond. If convicted, he faces 45 years to life in prison.