Former deputy Sean Grayson claimed he feared for his safety when Sonya Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” during the 911 call that resulted in him shooting the 36-year-old Black woman in her home.
In his field report, which was made public on Monday, Grayson stated that he “interpreted to mean she was going to kill me.”
“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 to me,” Grayson said in a July 9 letter. “I was terrified of getting boiling liquid on my face or chest, which may have caused serious bodily harm or death. I fired my duty firearm in Sonya’s direction.
READ MORE: Officials Release Footage Of Cop Fatally Shooting Sonya Massey In Her House After She Phoned 911
The killing of Massey gained global attention after police released body-camera footage from the event. The footage shows Grayson shooting and murdering her after she apologizes for her statement. He was later fired by the sheriff’s office, and he is now charged with first-degree murder, aggravated violence, and official misconduct. He has pled not guilty and is still in police custody.
Massey’s family and other community leaders have called for Sheriff Jack Campbell’s resignation, but he has refused. “I will not abandon the sheriff’s office at this vital time. That would solve nothing,” he said during a hearing session hosted by the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service last month.
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