Sonya Massey Was Shot Moments After the Police She Called Arrived to Her Home

An arrest has been made regarding the alleged murder of Sonya Massey, who was shot in her home moments after her encounter with Illinois deputy police.

Since body cam footage of Massey's final moments has circulated, many are wondering how the events escalated in early July 2024. Here's what to know.

Massey, a mother of two living in Sangamon County, Ill., called the police on July 6, 2024. In the body cam footage, which was released weeks after her death, she tells the officers she believes there is a prowler outside her home. The footage shows her telling Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson at around 1 a.m. that she heard something outside.

During their initial conversation, Massey asks Grayson not to hurt her, to which he replies, "Why would we hurt you? You called us." She then escorts Grayson and his partner into her house, which is when the tension escalates. The officers remain in Massey's home to tell her they didn't find anything suspicious.

However, as they continue talking, Massey enters her kitchen to turn off a pot of boiling water. When they back up to get away from her "hot steaming water," she says to the officers, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."

Grayson asks her to repeat herself and when she does, he threatens her, saying, "I'll shoot you in the f---king face." He then proceeds to get closer to her with his 9mm pistol and aims it at her. Massey tells the officers "I'm sorry," and Grayson shoots after Massey puts her pot down.

Massey's mental health was in question during the time of her 911 call. However, she told the officers she had taken the medicine she was prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia, per The Guardian. And despite the body cam footage showing Grayson call Massey a "f--king crazy b---h", court documents showed Massey was “calm, possibly unwell, and non-aggressive" with the officers.