USA. Sonya Massey shot dead by police in her home. Footage

The incident occurred on July 6. According to the indictment, police were called to the Springfield home of 36-year-old Sonya Massey before 1 a.m. The woman suspected someone had broken into her home.

Officers arrived on scene and after checking the area, informed Massey that they had not seen anyone suspicious. After a brief exchange on the porch, they went inside and stood in the middle of the living room watching as the woman searched her purse for the identification they had asked her for.

At one point, Officer Grayson notices a pot of water on the gas stove. He tells the woman to turn off the burner. “We don't need a fire while we're here,” he says. Massey gets up from the couch and goes to the kitchen. As she picks up the pot of hot water, she and the officers start laughing. Suddenly, the woman says, “I admonish you in the name of Jesus.”

Officer Grayson reacts very nervously to this. “You better not (expletive) or I swear to god I'm gonna (expletive) shoot you in the (expletive) face,” Grayson says. He then pulls out a gun, points it at the woman and yells at her to drop the pot.

“Okay, sorry,” Mossey says, ducking down, but the officer continues to aim at her. During this exchange, the woman makes no verbal threats against the officers, nor does she make any movement. Despite this, a moment later, one of the officers fires three shots at her.

In the recording, Grayson, who pulled the trigger, can be heard reporting the incident on a walkie-talkie, then telling his partner: “What else can we do? I'm not going to get (expletive) boiling water (expletive) in the face.”

When the second officer goes to get the first aid kit, Greyson says, “It's gone. You can go, but it's a headshot.”

Officers finally begin providing aid to the woman two minutes and six seconds after she was shot.

Footage of the incident, recorded by the officers' body camera, was released Monday by the Illinois State Police.

On Monday, the Sangamon County District Attorney's Office ruled that the officer's use of force was not justified. Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, was fired from the force and charged with first-degree murder and excessive force. He has pleaded not guilty. He has been held without bail since Monday.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul called the video “horrific” in a statement Monday. “In light of the public outcry over the video’s release, I appeal for calm as the justice system reviews this matter,” Raoul said.

Ms Massey's family lawyers praised prosecutors for their quick response.

The White House issued a statement on the matter on Monday.

“Sonya's death at the hands of a police officer reminds us that too often, black Americans fear for their safety in ways that many of us do not,” said President Joe Biden.

“I applaud the actions taken by the Springfield State's Attorney's Office. As we wait for criminal proceedings to begin, let us pray for the grieving loved ones,” the president said, calling on lawmakers to pass the police reform bill.

Vice President Kamala Harris called for the same. “Sonya Massey deserved to be safe,” she wrote on X. “The disturbing video released yesterday confirms what we know from the experience of so many others: we have much work to do to make our justice system truly worthy of its name,” she said.

“It's shocking. I mean every single part of this video,” Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing the Massey family, said at a news conference.

He said the woman may have seemed to have mental problems, but the officer had no grounds to use deadly force. He pointed out that – as can be seen in the recording – the 36-year-old did not behave aggressively or threaten the officers.

“Imagine what the narrative would be if there was no video of this incident,” Crump said.

The accused is being held in custody until the next hearing, which will be held on August 26, Reuters reports.