Sonya Massey had a severe mental condition called Paranoid Schizophrenia, which affected her thinking, feeling, and behavioral characteristics.
Recently, Sonya Massey was fatally shot in her Illinois home by Sheriff’s deputy officer Sean Grayson.
Highlights
- Sonya Massey was s*ot by a deputy officer, Sean Grayson, at her Illinois home.
- Massey was diagnosed with a mental illness called paranoid schizophrenia.
- She was born to her father James Wilbu and her mother Donna Massey.
Body camera footage, which was released on Monday, revealed Sean Grayson yelling at Massey, an unarmed 36-year-old woman of mother of two, to put down a pot of boiling water.
According to the footage reviewed by ABC News, Massey told the deputy, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” and apologized after the officer threatened to shoot her.
Later, Sonya poured the water into the sink and dunked down behind a counter, covering her face.
She briefly stood up, and Sean fatally shot her three times in the face.
Sonya’s Parents, Donna Massey, And James Wilbu, Confirmed Her Mental Illness
According to the reports, Massey’s parents, Donna and James, confirmed that she was diagnosed with a severe mental illness called paranoid schizophrenia.
Her daughter Jeanette Massey disclosed that Sonya was managing the illness with medication.
The illness affects a person’s perception and can involve hallucinations and delusions. When this happens, it will be hard to know what is real and what is not.
There is no need to argue with people about Sonya Massey and the “Pot of water”. The cop, Sean Grayson was condemned by his fellow officers, arrested in handcuffs and charged with murder.
— Mike Baggz (@MikeBaggz) July 24, 2024
They can’t argue thier way out of that, so let them cry and complain. pic.twitter.com/eugKjg5AHl
According to the statement given by Sonya’s cousin Sontae Massey, less than a month ago, she was acting extraordinarily paranoid and had voiced concerns for months “about being assassinated by the police.”
On July 11, 2024, Sontae said he was not sure why his cousin was exhibiting such anxiety.
Sonya was upset when he talked face-to-face with her about two weeks before the incident. He added,
“I’ve known Sonya since I was a kid,” Sontae Massey said. “She was very depressed about something. I had never seen her like that.”
Earlier on July 6, after Massey called 911 to report a possible robber outside her Springfield home, two deputies arrived and searched around the house before knocking on the door.
From the start of their interaction, several hints suggested Massey may have been experiencing a mental health issue.
She was having trouble understanding and answering the fundamental questions of the deputies.
Moreover, when they asked if she was doing alright mentally then, Sonya answered,
“Yes, I took my medicine,”
Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson calls 36-year-old Springfield, Illinois woman Sonya Massey a “crazy b*tch” after killing her:
— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) July 23, 2024
“This f*cking b*tch is crazy.”pic.twitter.com/5boq4rdYxn
Her house appeared messy, with clothes strewn across her bedroom and the kitchen counter covered in items.
In the news conference Monday, Massey’s family and their attorney Ben Crump announced that Sonya had mental health challenges.
Additional Information
- Sonya Massey was a member of Second Timothy Baptist Church.
- A 36-year-old mother, Massey had one son named Malachi Massey.
- She had one younger sister, Breeana Toles, who was considered to be the man between her sisters.
