Deputy Misinterprets Woman's Words as Threat Before Shooting

In a recent release of the deputy sheriff's field report, Sean Grayson detailed the events leading to the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in her Illinois home last month. Grayson stated that when Massey, who had called 911 for assistance, unexpectedly declared, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” he interpreted it as a threat of deadly harm. He recounted feeling compelled to draw his weapon as Massey ducked behind a counter, fearing she might retrieve a weapon. Massey’s family has since called for the resignation of Sheriff Jack Campbell, citing concerns over Grayson’s past conduct that they believe should have disqualified him from law enforcement duties. They have enlisted civil rights attorney Ben Crump to assist in their pursuit of justice. The family emphasizes that Massey had a history of mental health struggles, which they argue should have been taken into account during the incident. The report indicates that Grayson and another deputy responded to Massey’s call about a suspected prowler shortly before 1 a.m. During the encounter, Grayson instructed Massey to remove a pan of boiling water from the stove, and they shared a brief moment of levity before the situation escalated. Grayson noted that he was unsure of the liquid’s nature and advised Massey to put it down. Following the incident, Grayson was placed on administrative leave, and his body camera footage was not activated until after the shooting occurred. The release of the report included several other officers' accounts, though much of the information was heavily redacted.