Sonya Massey

Dear Neighbor, 

On July 6, Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman living outside of Springfield, Illinois, called 911 for help. The sheriff's deputy who responded to the call, Sean Grayson, shot her in the head, killing her instantly.

This week, the bodycam footage of that murder was made public. The footage shows the shooting to be heinous, despicable, and indefensible.

On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in the Illinois House Progressive Caucus in a statement on this killing. You can find that statement here or read it below.

The short version is: we haven't done enough, and we need to be better. Every tragic killing of a Black person by law enforcement reminds us that we're not "past" this problem.

We need better training — cops have to understand how to manage stressful situations without reaching for their service weapon. And we need to get the bad apples off the street. Sean Grayson had served six different law enforcement agencies in four years. We'll learn more about his record, but too often cops who commit misconduct or brutality at one police force can just hop to another. That practice has to stop.

But most importantly, we need a new system of public safety in this state and in this country. When a person is in crisis, the responder they need isn't an armed officer who's trained in deadly force. They need someone who's trained in de-escalation and crisis response. Someone who can recognize the signs that a Sonya Massey is in distress, help her stay calm, and get her the care that she needs.

We're working hard to build that kind of crisis response system in Illinois. It's still in its infancy, but it includes programs like CESSA, CARES teams, and the 988 Lifeline. Until we get there, I fear that we'll keep seeing these kinds of tragedies.

For now, Deputy Grayson has been arrested and charged with murder. I pray for comfort for Ms. Massey's family, and that her memory might inspire us to take the next step toward a more just world.

Sincerely,

Will