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Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

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Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him
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Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

2024-08-06 07:47 Last Updated At:07:50

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The deputy sheriff who fatally shot Sonya Massey in her Illinois home last month said he believed that when the Black woman who called 911 for help unexpectedly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” that she intended deadly harm, according to the deputy's field report released Monday.

“I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me,” Grayson wrote, adding that when he drew his pistol and Massey ducked behind a counter that separated them, he moved around the obstacle fearing that she was going to grab a weapon.

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CORRECTS TO PLEADED NOT GUILTY Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing the family of Sonya Massey, stands next to a diagram from the slain woman's autopsy on Friday, June 26, 2024, in Springfield, Ill., and gestures to show the downward angle in which Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson shot Massey in the face early on July 6. Massey had called 911 with suspicions of a prowler near her Springfield home. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)

CORRECTS TO PLEADED NOT GUILTY Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing the family of Sonya Massey, stands next to a diagram from the slain woman's autopsy on Friday, June 26, 2024, in Springfield, Ill., and gestures to show the downward angle in which Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson shot Massey in the face early on July 6. Massey had called 911 with suspicions of a prowler near her Springfield home. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police on Monday, July 22, 2024, former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, left, points his gun at Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help, before shooting and killing her inside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police via AP)

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police on Monday, July 22, 2024, former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, left, points his gun at Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help, before shooting and killing her inside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police via AP)

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. Footage released Monday, July 22, by a prosecutor reveals a chaotic scene in which Massey, who called 911 for help, is shot in the face in her home by Grayson. (Illinois State Police via AP)

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. Footage released Monday, July 22, by a prosecutor reveals a chaotic scene in which Massey, who called 911 for help, is shot in the face in her home by Grayson. (Illinois State Police via AP)

Grayson, a 30-year-old Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy, faces first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct charges in the death of the 36-year-old Springfield woman on July 6 which has drawn nationwide protests over the killing of Black people by police in their homes. Grayson has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment Monday.

Massey's family has called for the resignation of Sheriff Jack Campbell — who has refused to step down — arguing that problems in Grayson's past should have precluded a law enforcement assignment. The family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment by phone, email or text.

Grayson and a second unidentified deputy answered her call about a suspected prowler just before 1 a.m. Inside her home, Grayson directed that a pan of water be removed from a burner on the stove. Grayson and Massey shared a chuckle as he warily moved away from the “hot steaming water.”

“Sonya turned to face me holding the pot. I did not know the type of liquid that was boiling,” Grayson wrote in his report three days after the incident.

“I advised Sonya to put the boiling liquid down. Sonya stated (she) was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus. She stated this twice. I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me."

Massey's family has said that Sonya Massey struggled with mental health issues. She met the deputies at her front door by repeating, “Please God” and inside the house, asked Grayson to pass her a Bible.

Upon hearing the religious admonition, Grayson then drew his pistol and barked commands to “drop the (expletive) pot." Massey ducked behind the counter, rose up and appeared to grab the pan again before diving for cover. Grayson said he stepped toward and around the counter to keep Massey in sight, wary that she might have a hidden weapon.

“As I approached the cabinet, Sonya stood up from a crouched position, grabbing the pot, raising it above her head and throwing the boiling substance at me,” Grayson reported. "I was in imminent fear of getting boiling liquid to my face or chest, which would have caused great bodily harm or death."

It's unclear from the video whether Massey attempted to toss the pan's contents, and she was obscured from view when Grayson fired three 9 mm rounds, one of which struck Massey just below the eye. His report then indicates he looked down to see the liquid had “hit my boots and I observed steam coming from the cabinet area.”

By the time he completed the field report July 9, Grayson had been placed on administrative leave. The document indicates he received department permission to review the body camera video, the bulk of which had been recorded on the other deputy's camera. Grayson said he thought his was on when the two first met Massey at the door, but he didn't turn it on until just after the shooting.

The other deputy's report was not part of the release, which included seven other officers' reports of their activities at the site of the shooting and all completed on July 6 and one completed July 7, heavily redacted before release, by a deputy who had a casual conversation with someone who was familiar with Massey.

CORRECTS TO PLEADED NOT GUILTY Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing the family of Sonya Massey, stands next to a diagram from the slain woman's autopsy on Friday, June 26, 2024, in Springfield, Ill., and gestures to show the downward angle in which Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson shot Massey in the face early on July 6. Massey had called 911 with suspicions of a prowler near her Springfield home. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)

CORRECTS TO PLEADED NOT GUILTY Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing the family of Sonya Massey, stands next to a diagram from the slain woman's autopsy on Friday, June 26, 2024, in Springfield, Ill., and gestures to show the downward angle in which Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson shot Massey in the face early on July 6. Massey had called 911 with suspicions of a prowler near her Springfield home. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police on Monday, July 22, 2024, former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, left, points his gun at Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help, before shooting and killing her inside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police via AP)

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police on Monday, July 22, 2024, former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, left, points his gun at Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help, before shooting and killing her inside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police via AP)

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke 'in the name of Jesus' indicated intent to kill him

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. Footage released Monday, July 22, by a prosecutor reveals a chaotic scene in which Massey, who called 911 for help, is shot in the face in her home by Grayson. (Illinois State Police via AP)

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. Footage released Monday, July 22, by a prosecutor reveals a chaotic scene in which Massey, who called 911 for help, is shot in the face in her home by Grayson. (Illinois State Police via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The screw holding the net in place at the Australian Open's main stadium got jarred loose during defending champion Jannik Sinner's fourth-round match against Holger Rune on Monday, delaying play for about 20 minutes early in the fourth set.

The No. 1-ranked Sinner, who is the defending champion at Melbourne Park, hit one of his booming serves into the net, shaking it. That managed to inadvertently undo the metal piece that hooks into the bottom of the black webbing that separates players on a tennis court, then is rotated to screw into the blue-painted surface.

That left the net loose, so play could not continue. At least a half-dozen people went over to take a look at things and attempt to re-connect the equipment. Eventually, a worker with a red tool box was able to fix it, earning a cheer from thousands of spectators at Rod Laver Arena.

In the meantime, chair umpire Nico Helwerth sent both Sinner and Rune off to the locker room so they did not need to sit on the sideline in the afternoon heat that topped 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).

“Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, we are trying to fix the net as quick as possible,” Helwerth announced to the crowd. “It's probably going to take a few minutes. Thank you for your patience.”

Each player already had taken a medical timeout during the match. Sinner was leading 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 0-1 when action was halted.

As Sinner and the 13th-seeded Rune, a 21-year-old from Denmark, walked back out on the court to return to the contest, fans applauded.

The players were then allowed to warm up for three minutes before Sinner got things started again with a serve.

Holger Rune of Denmark plays a backhand return to Jannik Sinner of Italy during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Holger Rune of Denmark plays a backhand return to Jannik Sinner of Italy during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Staff work on repairing the net during the fourth round match between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Holger Rune of Denmark at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Staff work on repairing the net during the fourth round match between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Holger Rune of Denmark at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Jannik Sinner of Italy talks with his coaching staff as repairs are made too the net during his fourth round match against Holger Rune of Denmark at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Jannik Sinner of Italy talks with his coaching staff as repairs are made too the net during his fourth round match against Holger Rune of Denmark at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Staff work on repair the net during the fourth round match between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Holger Rune of Denmark at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Staff work on repair the net during the fourth round match between Jannik Sinner of Italy and Holger Rune of Denmark at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

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