July 26 (UPI) — An autopsy reported released Friday said Illinois police shooting victim Sonya Massey died from a gunshot wound to the head from Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson.
According to the autopsy report, the bullet entered just below her left eye and exited from the left side of back of her neck.
“Based on the information available to me, and on the autopsy findings, it is my opinion that Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, died as the result of a gunshot wound of the head, Forensic Pathologist Dr. Nathaniel Patterson wrote in the report.
Massey had called 911 to report a prowler and her contact with the two deputies who responded quickly escalated. Grayson shot her three times.
Grayson was fired by the Sangamon County Sheriff and indicted by an Illinois grand jury for first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Attorney Ben Crump said at a news conference after the autopsy was released that the report’s findings match the police body cam video “where we see her ducking, (and) says, ‘Sorry, sir, sorry,’ he shot when she’s making the motion coming up, that’s how you get the downward trajectory. And you see on the video, his arms, he aims down.”
While talking to the deputies, Massey tended to a pot of boiling water on the stove. That caused the deputies to become alarmed, police said. But, instead of putting distance between her and them, the deputies drew guns and moved closer while screaming at her to put the pot of water down.
Crump said it was a senseless, unnecessary and excessive use of force.
Crump said Massey had struggled with mental health and needed “a helping hand, not a bullet to the face.”
According to court documents, Massey let go of the hot water, put her hands in the air and ducked while apologizing to the deputy seconds before being fatally shot.
Twice she said to the deputies, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
According to an Illinois State Police summary of the shooting, when Grayson approached her she quickly stood, grabbed the pot and threw steaming water on a chair next to kitchen cabinets.
Sheriff Jack Campbell said Grayson’s actions were “unjustifiable” and “reckless.” He said Grayson had other options he should have used.
Massey’s son Malachi told reporters the whole week before the shooting happened he had been trying to place her in a mental health facility.
In an exclusive report, NBC News reported that Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday called Massey’s family, according to family members.