Deputy Who Fatally Shot Sonya Massey Says He Thought Her Rebuke ‘In the Name of Jesus’ Was a Deadly Threat

Sean Grayson, the deputy sheriff who fatally shot Sonya Massey in her Illinois home last month, believed that when she unexpectedly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” she intended to harm him.

“I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me,” Sean Grayson wrote in his field report released Monday. Grayson, 30, added that when he drew his pistol and Massey ducked behind a counter, he moved around the obstacle, fearing she was going to grab a weapon.

Grayson is now facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and official misconduct after the tragic July 6 death of 36-year-old Massey in Springfield. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The incident started when Grayson and another deputy responded to Massey’s 911 call about a suspected prowler around 1 a.m. Massey met the deputies at her front door, repeatedly saying, “Please God,” and asking for a Bible. Inside the home, the situation escalated quickly when Grayson noticed Massey holding a pot of boiling water. He asked her to put it down, but when she responded with “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” he saw it as a deadly threat.

Grayson said he fear for his life and drew his pistol. Massey then ducked behind a counter, and Grayson moved around the obstacle, concerned she might grab a weapon. According to Grayson, Massey stood up, raised the pot above her head, and threw the boiling water at him. In response, Grayson fired three shots, one of which struck Massey just below the eye.

Body camera footage from the incident does not clearly show if Massey threw the water, as she was obscured from view when the shots were fired. Grayson’s report mentioned that some liquid hit his boots, and he observed steam rising from the cabinet area.