Sonya Massey's mother asked police not to 'hurt her' day before she was shot
The mother of Sonya Massey - who was shot dead by police - had called 911 a day before her daughter's death to inform emergency services she was having a mental breakdown, asking them "not to hurt her".
The newly obtained emergency response call revealed more details on US law enforcement’s knowledge of Ms Massey’s condition leading up to the shooting.
On July 6, Ms Massey, 36 - who had a history of mental health issues - called 911 when she thought a someone was lurking outside her Illnois home according to prosecutors.
The resulting police visit resulted in her being shot dead, with her death sparking national outrage.
Body cam footage that has since been released shows Ms Massey was exhibiting various signs of potential mental health issues.
She had trouble understanding and answering questions, and when asked if she’s doing alright mentally, she says, “Yes, I took my medicine”.
Court records show former sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, 30, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
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On Wednesday, records released showed several emergency response calls were made from Ms Massey's home in the days leading up to her death, including one from her mother Donna Massey.
Ms Massey said her daughter was suffering a "mental breakdown" outside the house and told the dispatcher, “I don't want you guys to hurt her.”
She said her daughter was not a danger to anyone, but "When she gets upset, she thinks everybody's after her, like [a] paranoid-schizophrenic.”
She told the dispatcher she fears the police and didn't want her daughter to be hurt.
“Please don’t send no combative policemen that are prejudiced,” Donna Massey said.
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In a statement the Massey family attorney, Ben Crump said: “The 911 calls capture the heartbreaking pleas of Sonya’s mother who desperately sought help for her daughter while expressing her deep fears about the potential for violence at the hands of the police.
“The failure to provide the appropriate response to a mental health crisis has resulted in an irreversible loss for the Massey family and underscores a systemic issue that must be addressed.”
Ms Massey is one of a number of Black women who have been killed by police in their own homes in recent years, including Breonna Taylor and Atatiana Jefferson.
According to ITV News' US partner CNN, dispatch records show the sheriff’s department had been told that Massey was having mental health issues.
But the department did not provide comment on whether the responding officers on July 6 were aware of Ms Massey’s mental health concerns.
Sheriff Jack Campbell has released the deputy in question's, Sean Grayson, personnel file in response to public-records requests.
He confirmed it was known the 30-year-old had two drink driving convictions within a year, the first of which led to him being discharged from the army.
A psychological evaluation of Grayson in March 2023 found him fit to serve but noted: “He knows he can move too fast at times. He needs to slow down to make good decisions.”
Chief Deputy Anthony Mayfield wrote: “Grayson immediately escalated to deadly force based on the decedent stating, ‘I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."
“When Deputy Grayson pointed his firearm at the decedent, she was not making any aggressive movements, only talking.”
Grayson's failure to “attempt non-violent strategies and techniques" or to communicate led to Massey's death, Chief Deputy Anthony Mayfield wrote in the internal investigation which led to Grayson's dismissal.
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