Say Her Name: What We Know About The Sonya Massey Situation

 

Her name was Sonya Lynaye Wilburn-Massey, and she did not deserve to die.

 

The police killing of Sonya Massey has sparked nationwide outrage as details continue to emerge. Body-camera footage has surfaced showing a police officer fatally shooting Massey, an unarmed Black woman who called the police to her home, on July 6, to report a possible break-in. Here’s what we know thus far: 

Who Was Sonya Massey?

Massey was a 36-year-old mother of two who lived in Springfield Illinois. Her heartbroken father described her as a “daddy’s girl.” Massey also struggled with her mental health. According to her obituary, she leaves behind a son and daughter, both of whom are teenagers, her father, mother, and sister, and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was a member of Second Timothy Baptist Church and retired from J&J Gaming in her hometown.

What Happened On The Night She Was Killed?

Massey called 911 to report a potential intruder to her home.

Two white sheriff’s deputies showed up and things went left almost immediately. The body-camera footage shows two deputies speaking calmly with Massey, who had gone to turn off a pot of boiling water. The offending officer, Sean Grayson, asks her to step away from the water to which Massey replied;

“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

“You better f—cking not or I swear to God I’ll f–king shoot you in the f–king face!” says Grayson while Massey remains calm, shrinks as if crouching briefly, and apologizes.

Grayson tells her to drop the pot again and hastily shoots her before she can get a chance to do anything.

What Were The Autopsy Results?

The Associated Press reports that Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon detailed in an autopsy report released Friday that Sonya Massey’s death was a homicide.

 

Autopsy findings confirm Sonya Massey, Black woman shot by deputy, died from gunshot wound to head https://t.co/PTxwSwj0Md

— The Associated Press (@AP) July 26, 2024

The bullet that killed her struck her just beneath her left eye and Massey had “minor blunt force injuries” to her right leg.

How Is Sonya Massey’s Family Coping?

According to PEOPLE, there is a verified GoFundMe for Massey’s grieving relatives.

Since that fateful day, the story of Massey’s killing has gone viral. Now, her family, including her 17-year-old son Malachi and 15-year-old daughter Summer, are trying to cope with the sudden loss of their mother, who Raymond described as “loving and caring.”

“They’re taking it a day at a time,” Raymond, 64, tells PEOPLE. “I mean, a minute at a time. It’s devastating to me, let alone [Sonya’s mother] Donna and Summer and Malachi.”

He continues,

“It’s burning so deep. Every family member is going through that right now. But the kids, you have to say that’s twofold.”

Raymond adds that he’s been in touch with the children, who are in the care of other relatives right now, saying;

“Me and [Malachi] had a great conversation about his mom and how much he misses his mom from being murdered. And that’s hard for anyone, let alone a 17-year-old boy who loved and cared for his mom.”