Public figures react to bodycam footage showing the police killing of Sonya Massey
Several public figures, including Cardi B, Meek Mill, Solange, and President Joe Biden, have expressed outrage following the release of body camera footage showing the police killing of Sonya Massey. Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman and mother of two, was fatally shot on July 6 by former Sangamon County sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson in Springfield, Illinois.
The footage reveals that Massey called the police to report a possible intruder. During the visit, Grayson instructed her to attend to a pot of boiling water on the stove. Massey casually stated, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” which prompted Grayson to shoot her in the head. Grayson then discouraged his fellow deputy from seeking medical assistance, saying, “there’s nothing you can do” for her.
Cardi B addressed the incident during an X Space session, condemning Grayson's actions and questioning the leniency shown to him despite his prior DUI convictions. “When you give somebody, especially a cop, so many chances like that to get their job back, that’s why when he shot her, he just knew that nobody was gonna tell him nothing,” she stated. Cardi B added, “Fight to the end, fight for the justice, because they really think that they’re gonna get away with it.”
— solange knowles (@solangeknowles) July 23, 2024
Solange Knowles also spoke out on social media, writing, “First words Sonya Massey said at her front door were ‘don’t hurt me.’ When have those words meant anything when you’re black and a woman in this country?”
President Joe Biden shared his condolences and called for justice, urging Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. “Sonya Massey, a beloved mother, friend, daughter, and young Black woman, should be alive today. When we call for help, all of us as Americans should be able to do so without fearing for our lives,” Biden stated.
Former sheriff's deputy Grayson, who has been fired and is being held without bond, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. If convicted, he faces multiple lengthy prison sentences.