The mother of Sonya Massey, a black woman who was fatally shot in the face in her kitchen by a white police officer after she called 911 for help, pleaded with dispatchers to not send a ‘prejudiced’ officer to her daughter’s home.
The mother, Donna Massey, said in a 911 call on the day before her daughter’s death that she was worried police would ‘make the situation worse,’ pleading with the dispatcher: ‘I don’t want you guys to hurt her.’
‘Please don’t send no combative policemen that are prejudiced, please,’ the elder Massey said. ‘I’m scared of the police. Sometimes they make the situation worse’
Donna added that her daughter was suffering a ‘mental breakdown.’
Massey, 36, a mom-of-two from Springfield, Illinois, was shot dead by deputy Sean Grayson, 30, on July 6 after Grayson and another deputy arrived at her home to investigate a prowler.
According to records released on Wednesday, Sonya had made two 911 calls in the days leading up to her death.
Her mother Donna, seen here, said in one call on the day before her daughter’s death: ‘Please don’t send no combative policemen that are prejudiced, please.’
This undated photo provided by the family’s lawyers in July 2024 shows Sonya Massey
The distraught mom added: ‘She is not a danger to herself, she’s not a danger to me’. She referred to Massey’s mental episode as ‘paranoid schizophrenic’.
The recordings also show that some officers and first responders discussed whether Massey had shot herself.
An official says in a call to report the police shooting that, ‘They are now saying it’s self-inflicted’.
Another adds: ‘Either self-inflicted or they may have shot her’, it’s unclear where the wrong information about it being possibly self-inflicted came from.
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department is still trying to determine whether Massey’s history of mental health issues were relayed to deputies responding.
Body cam footage suggests they were not aware, with Grayson asking dispatch if there are any record of calls from Massey indicating mental health troubles.
Such information is passed along if it’s known, but there’s no built-in mechanism that ensures it, said Jeff Wilhite, spokesperson for Sheriff Jack Campbell.
Wilhite said: ‘It’s possible, if the dispatcher knew the calls were linked, but it’s not an automatic.
‘The dispatcher would have to know ‘yes, it’s the same person’ and ‘yes, it’s the same address.’
Massey was shot at three times by Grayson earlier this month after she called police to report a prowler
Deputy Sean Grayson’s gun drawn as Sonya Massey cowers for cover in her kitchen on July 6
Grayson’s file was also released which showed that he has two drunk driving convictions within a year, the first of which led to discharge from the army.
His psychological evaluation found him fit to serve, but added: ‘He knows he can move too fast at times. He needs to slow down to make good decisions.’
Footage captured the night Massey died shows her greeting deputies at her front door, saying ‘don’t hurt me’, and appearing confused.
After Grayson directed her to remove a pot of water from the stove she told him: ‘I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.’
Grayson then pulls his gun on the mother-of-two and yelled at her to drop the presumably scalding water before firing three times, hitting her below the left eye.
Family members have said Massey struggled with mental health issues and had undergone treatment.
Her son, Malachi Hill Massey, said he and his sister had to live with their fathers because Massey checked herself into an inpatient treatment program.
Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct charges in Massey’s killing
At a press conference, Malachi told the audience that he could not bring himself to watch the bodycam footage which showed his mother’s death
Autopsy findings released Friday on Massey confirmed that she died from a gunshot wound to the head and that she died on July 6.
The report was released shortly before civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, denounced the killing by the ex-sheriff’s deputy as senseless, unnecessary and excessive.
In addition to the bullet striking her just beneath her left eye, Massey had ‘minor blunt force injuries’ to her right leg, the autopsy said.
The bullet caused her skull to fracture and perforated her carotid artery, which caused her brain to bleed, before exiting the back of her upper neck.
Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct charges in Massey’s killing.
He was fired by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and has been jailed without bond.
