Sonya Massey’s mom known as 911 to report her daughter having a psychological breakdown a day earlier than Massey, 36, was fatally shot inside her residence by an Illinois deputy, in line with emergency name audio launched this week.
“She has been having a mental breakdown, which is something new to me,” Donna Massey, her mom, might be heard saying on the decision. “She is not a danger to herself, she is not a danger to me. But when she gets upset, then she thinks everyone is after her, like paranoid or schizophrenic.”
The decision gives extra context about whether or not authorities knew that Sonya Massey was affected by psychological well being points on July 6, when a deputy fatally shot her in Springfield, Illinois.
Sean Grayson, 30, was fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Division and charged with three counts of first-degree homicide on July 17 for taking pictures and killing Massey whereas she was holding a pot of water inside her kitchen. Grayson was additionally charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct.
Donna Massey known as 911 on July 5 round 9 a.m., in line with dispatch name information. Round 10 a.m., Springfield police arrived on the residence of her daughter Sonya Massey, who mentioned she didn’t need to communicate with medical professionals on the time.
Then, in one other 911 name round 1 p.m. that very same day, Sonya Massey mentioned {that a} neighbor had gone to her home and was inflicting issues, alleging that the particular person had damaged her driver’s seat window with a brick. Someday after that decision, Massey went to the hospital. It’s unclear if she went on her personal or was accompanied by police.
As soon as on the hospital, Massey advised medical personnel that she had damaged one other window herself on the motive force’s aspect of her automotive to get into the automobile and get away. Information state she had “minor scrapes,” apparently from reaching into the automotive by damaged home windows.
Authorities on the hospital with Massey mentioned she was “having some 10-96 issues,” which is police language for psychological well being issues. She suggested medical workers that she had lately been launched from a psychological hospital, together with her paperwork dated July 3, in line with dispatch name information.
Audio information additionally present one other name a day earlier, on July 4, from an unidentified one that gave the impression of Massey and who mentioned that somebody was attempting to harm them. When the dispatcher requested whom the caller was referring to, the caller responded: “a lot of them.”
Illinois State Police by way of AP
On July 6, the day of the taking pictures, body-worn digital camera footage reveals Grayson and one other deputy arriving at Massey’s residence after she made a name a couple of potential prowler close to her residence. After the deputies canvassed the realm, they started questioning Massey at her door.
Footage reveals each deputies strolling inside the house and asking Massey to determine herself to them. Whereas she searches for her identification in the lounge, Grayson factors to the kitchen, and Massey walks over to her range to show off a boiling pot of water.
The 2 deputies take a step again whereas Massey is dealing with the pot. One deputy is heard saying he’s shifting “away from your hot steaming water.”
Massey responds: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
“Huh?” the deputy says.
Then Massey repeats herself. Grayson attracts his weapon and Massey says “I’m sorry” whereas crouching and shielding herself, seemingly in worry.
“Drop the fucking pot,” Grayson shouts.
Grayson fires three pictures at Massey whereas shouting at her to place the pot down. When the opposite deputy says he’s going to get his medical equipment, Grayson tells him there may be nothing they will do as a result of it was a “head shot.”
Grayson’s body-worn digital camera, not like his colleague’s, was not working till after he shot Massey, in line with charging paperwork.
Questions have mounted as to why Sangamon County Sheriff’s Division employed Grayson regardless of his checkered historical past of regulation enforcement expertise. In an interview with CBS Information, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell mentioned he didn’t know the way Grayson “slipped through the cracks.”
Grayson’s personnel information present him leaving a number of regulation enforcement jobs over 4 years. Notes from Grayson’s Sangamon County hiring course of point out that the Virden Police Division reported Grayson was “proactive and worked well with the public,” but in addition that he “did not demonstrate good officer safety skills.” The police chief on the time mentioned that “he believes that was because [Grayson] was new to the job.”
Grayson used Scott Butterfield, a former Sangamon County deputy, as a reference when making use of for the position, in line with the information HuffPost reviewed. Grayson was relationship Butterfield’s daughter on the time; they’re now engaged.
“Mr. Butterfield advised me that Mr. Grayson is currently dating his daughter,” reads a be aware from his hiring course of. “Mr. Butterfield describes Mr. Grayson as a mellow, non-confrontational person who has good communication skills. Mr. Butterfield highly recommends Mr. Grayson for employment with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.”
Massey’s household has demanded the resignation of Campbell, the Sangamon County sheriff, for hiring Grayson.
John Lamparski by way of Getty Photos
Outrage over Massey’s taking pictures has grown as extra info is launched concerning the circumstances of her dying. A nationwide day of silence was held for her in a number of main cities throughout the nation final weekend.
Massey’s killing compelled lawmakers to reintroduce police reform and accountability laws.
“The 911 calls capture the heartbreaking pleas of Sonya’s mother who desperately sought help for her daughter while expressing her deep fears about the potential for violence at the hands of the police. Despite these warnings, Sonya, a woman struggling with her mental health, was met with deadly force in her own home,” legal professional Benjamin Crump, who’s representing the household, mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
“Sonya needed compassion and support. Instead, she was met with a gunshot to the face by a deputy whose actions have now led to charges of first-degree murder. The failure to provide the appropriate response to a mental health crisis has resulted in an irreversible loss for the Massey family and underscores a systemic issue that must be addressed,” Crump mentioned.
