Charges filed against Illinois deputy in death of Sonya Massey

An Illinois sheriff’s deputy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 36-year-old woman who had called authorities over concerns about a prowler, officials said Wednesday.

Sonya Massey was killed inside her home after Sangamon County deputies responded to her 911 call at around 12:50 a.m. on July 6, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser said in a statement.

Deputy Sean Grayson was arrested on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, Milhiser said.

His statement does not detail the circumstances that preceded the shooting at Massey’s home in Springfield. The case was first evaluated under Illinois law for the use of deadly force, he said.

“A review of the Illinois State Police investigation, including the body-worn camera footage, does not support a finding that Deputy Sean Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force,” Milhiser said.

Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said preliminary findings of an autopsy show Massey died from a gunshot wound to the head.

According to Milhiser, the investigation “was conducted in an expedited time-frame.”

The case was presented to a grand jury that returned a five-count indictment Wednesday. Grayson was in custody awaiting his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.

Sheriff Jack Campbell said Grayson has been fired.

“It is clear that the deputy did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards,” Campbell said in a statement posted on the agency’s Facebook page. He added: “With our badge we accept enormous responsibility, and if that responsibility is abused, there should be consequences.”

Officials provided little information in the days after the shooting about what transpired between when deputies arrived at Massey’s home shortly before 1 a.m. and when shots were fired and she was struck, around 1:21 a.m.

Massey’s mother and others in the community gathered in protest last week.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said in a statement Wednesday that Massey was unarmed.

“This news is a step toward justice for Sonya’s loved ones, especially her children, who have endured unimaginable pain and suffering since they were notified of this tragedy,” Crump said. “We remain committed to uncovering the truth of what happened and identifying the failures that allowed this tragic death to occur.”

Milhiser said the deputies made contact with Massey in her home.

“During the interaction inside the home of Sonya Massey, Deputy Grayson discharged his firearm striking Ms. Massey and killing her,” he said.

The sheriff’s office said Grayson’s alleged actions “do not reflect the values and training of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office or law enforcement as a whole.”

“Good law enforcement officers stand with our community in condemning actions that undermine the trust and safety we strive to uphold,” the office said. “In times like these, it is crucial for leadership across all sides and spectrums to come together to heal our community.”

Milhiser said that Massey’s family viewed the body camera footage during a meeting with prosecutors and state police Wednesday and that it would be released Monday morning.

“Nothing has been redacted, except for the blurring of certain images, which was done out of respect for Ms. Massey and her family,” he said.

The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council, which does not handle criminal matters, said Grayson had obtained private counsel. Dan Fultz, his attorney, declined to comment.

Grayson is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday afternoon.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that he is “enraged that another innocent Black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer.”

“Sonya Massey was concerned for her safety and called law enforcement to her home for protection,” he said. “Like all Illinoisans, she deserved that protection. Instead, innocent and unarmed, she was gunned down by an officer of the law.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com