The case of Sonya Massey recently went viral on social media after she was murdered in her home by an Illinois deputy in the most frustrating and infuriating ways. On July 6, Sonya Massey, 36, called 911 to notify them of a prowler near her home. This means that Massey called the police because she suspected she was being followed or threatened, and she feared for her life. Unfortunately, Illinois deputy, Sean Grayson, 30, was the one who responded to her call. A call that did not have the expected outcome because rather than serving and protecting Massey, Deputy Grayson was responsible and the reason for her death that night.
Furthermore, the terrible chain of events unraveled after Illinois deputy Grayson allegedly claims he shot Massey because he “feared for his life.” This is due to the fact that before the murder Massey rebuked and scolded deputy Grayson “in the name of Jesus.” Supposedly leading the Illinois deputy to misinterpret her comments as a threat and a direct attack that imply “she was going to kill him.”
In Addition, Grayson’s subsequent acts exacerbated the hatred and disgust that many people already felt towards him. This is because after shooting Massey in the head, the deputy failed to render aid. Causing Massey a long and agonizing death. Also, despite the fact that Illinois deputy Grayson had turned off his body camera, his partners camera was fortunately still turned on. And throughout the footage their is a noticeable lack of urgency as Grayson urged his partner not to assist Massey. Consequently, there is no doubt that the Illinois deputy made the wrong decisions, and ‘fearing for his life’ should not have been an excuse for murder. Grayson had other options and techniques before killing Massey, but he chose not to use them.
Ignoring the Red Flags
Moreover, it is safe to say that Grayson should have been one of the less fitted candidates to work as an Illinois deputy. Despite Grayson’s honorable and commendable background, which includes military service and contributions to other law enforcement task. Deputy Grayson failed to uphold and satisfactorily fulfill his responsibilities in those roles.
For example, while serving in the army, Grayson was discharged from his position due to serious misconduct. Along with a history of driving under the influence. Although despite his poor behavior, he managed to be employed by six Illinois law enforcement agencies since 2020. Moreover, during his time in those agencies, he earned the title of “wandering officer.” Which refers to an officer who drifts from police department to police department. Allegedly he earned this title because he was either terminated, forced to resign, or convicted of a crime during his time in those departments. Misbehaviors that only added to his already bad reputation.
Additionally, by hiring Grayson as an Illinois deputy, the police agencies only showcase the negligence in their system. Plus the lack of effort departments input into evaluating possible hire backgrounds. This is because if the time had been taken to know the candidates that apply to the positions, the incident that tragically killed Massey could have been avoided entirely. As the International Association of Chiefs of Police said in a statement,
The pattern and nature of frequent job changes by a police officer should raise flags about their suitability for the policing profession.
‘Their is no Trust’
Furthermore, one of the reasons the police department determined Grayson was able to continue working and extending his negative behavior. Was due to Grayson’s lack of employment stability. As previously mentioned Grayson was moving from department to department since 2020. These exact actions are what lead to numerous insufficient background checks. Which allowed Grayson to continue committing potential bad acts in other jurisdictions. On top of that due to all of the job changes, there was also a lack of information with regards to his progress and development in his previous employments.
For instance, a spokesperson for the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office where Grayson previously worked at and where the incident with Massey occurred, verified that several agencies that work with Grayson fail to deliver accurate and crucial information. One of these agencies was the Auburn police, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, which had a negative experience with Grayson when he filed an erroneous report of a traffic incident. However, the Logan County Office did not present a complete disciplinary report in which this reprimand was noted. As the sheriff’s office claimed,
We did not receive all the information from some of his previous employers that came out afterward.
Slips like this are what continue allowing Grayson to be recruited and carry on with putting civilians lives at risk. This means that if people cannot trust and rely on the police department/sheriff’s office to keep track and provide accurate information regarding previous employees. Then who can individuals really trust and rely on with citizens safety? As demonstrated by deputy Grayson, a history of misbehavior increases the likelihood of potential harm to others. Confrontations like the one Grayson had with Massey can lead to situation where other troubled officers end up killing innocent people, which can unfortunately result in incidents such as the one where the Illinois deputy Grayson murder a civilian after allegedly ‘fearing for his life.’
Searching for Peace
Overall, Illinois deputy Sean Grayson was ultimately arrested for the crime committed against Sonya Massey. A grand jury indicted Grayson on three charges of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated violence with a firearm. Grayson also received charges for official misconduct. Although he pleaded not guilty, he was denied pretrial release. Family members and friends are now awaiting the trial, hoping that his sentencing will be fair and honors Massey’s death.
Also, Grayson’s actions and lack of empathy should be viewed as a lesson in remembrance of Massey. As well as a symbol to many of what might happen if police agencies are not adequately structured and prepared to take on the large task of hiring new recruits. It is always vital and crucial for departments to go above and beyond when contemplating new employees. For the simple reason that people’s safety ultimately will fall in their hands.
However, it is also essential to note that not all wondering officers are lost or bad. Nonetheless, taking extra measures to verify that information is always preferable and safer. What happened to Massey is sad and a huge tragedy, but can definitely be avoided in the future. Now, many people can only pray that Massey’s family is able to navigate through this heartbreaking moments in their lives.
Written by Nohemi Sanchez
Sources
USA TODAY: Ex-Illinois deputy shot Sonya Massey out of fear for his life, sheriff’s report says
DAILY NEWS: Deputy who shot Sonya Massey feared for his life after she rebuked him in ‘name of Jesus’
CNN US: Deputy’s fatal shooting of Sonya Massey highlights risky practice of hiring America’s legion of ‘wandering officers’
Featured Image Courtesy of Tomas Del Coro Flickr Page – Creative Common License
First Inset Image Courtesy of Maryland GovPics Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
