Biden says Sonya Massey's family 'deserves justice' after fatal police shooting

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden said Monday that the family of a 36-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by police "deserves justice" as the local sheriff's office released bodycam footage of the tragedy.

"Sonya Massey, a beloved mother, friend, daughter and young Black woman, should be alive today. Sonya called the police because she was concerned about a potential intruder. When we call for help, all of us as Americans – regardless of who we are or where we live – should be able to do so without fearing for our lives," Biden said in a statement.

"Sonya’s death at the hands of a responding officer reminds us that all too often, Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not. Sonya’s family deserves justice," he added.

The 36-minute video released by law enforcement appears to show two Sangamon County, Illinois sheriff’s deputies responding to Sonya Massey's home on July 6 after she called police to report a possible intruder on her property. The deputies search the exterior of Massey's home for about seven minutes without finding anyone on the premises before knocking on her door and appearing to buzz a doorbell.

About a minute passes before a voice can be heard shouting "what the **** is wrong with y'all?" prompting the sheriffs to identify themselves. A woman identified as Massey opens the door shortly thereafter, appearing at various points confused when the deputies question her.

"Please God, please God, I'm trying to get help y'all," Massey says as she appears to scroll through her phone.

"What do you need help with?" one of the deputies asks.

"Nothin', I just...please God, please God, please. I don't know what to do," says Massey.

"What do you need help with?" the other deputy says.

"Nothing. I just needed to see if y'all could help me," she responds.

Massey is unable to explain what she needs help with until she tells the sheriffs that she heard someone outside, prompting the officers to explain that they searched the outside of her house but did not find anyone.

The officers nearly leave the house when they ask about a black SUV that was seen during their initial search parked in her driveway with damage to a window. Massey says she does not know how it ended up there, and the deputies ask her for her name, which she did not or could not immediately provide.

She then goes into the house where the deputies continue to attempt to have her provide her name during a calm conversation that leads to them asking for her identification. Massey then goes to her stove to turn off a pot of boiling water, removing it before asking "Where are you going?" as the deputies move back.

"Away from your hot steaming water," one officer says amid chuckles.

"My hot steaming water?" says Massey. "I'll rebuke you in the name of Jesus."

"Huh?" says one officer.

"Rebuke you in the name of Jesus," she responds.

"You better ****** not. I swear to God, I'll ******* shoot you right in your ******* face," one of the officers says as he removes his sidearm from its hip holster and points it at her.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Massey says before dropping to the ground. She cannot be seen as she dips behind a counter as the deputies command her to "drop the ******* pot."

Three gunshots can then be heard as the deputies report in that shots were fired, with one asking for paramedics to treat a "headshot wound to the female."

"I'm gonna go get my kit," the other officer says before he is told, "She's done. You can go get it, but that's a headshot."

Both officers then curse.

"Dude, I’m not taking ****** boiling water to the ******* head. Hey look, it came right to our feet, too," the officer who appeared to open fire says.

Massey's body appears blurred out as one of the officers goes to retrieve his medkit.

"We can at least try to stop the blood," one of the officers says before applying pressure to a gunshot wound.

Deputy Sean Grayson, who is white, has been indicted by a grand jury on first-degree murder and other charges.