Officer Sean Grayson Charged in Sonya Massey Shooting Had Disciplinary Record
Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean P. Grayson, who stands accused of fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a 36 year-old woman, inside her home, boasted a disciplinary record riddled with accusations of bully-like behavior and misuse of power.
Grayson’s Unsettling Patterns
Girard Police Chief Wayman Meredith described Grayson as acting like a bully during a previous encounter in 2023 and expressed concerns over Grayson’s behavior as he was reportedly pushing Meredith to call child services on a woman who happened to be outside of Grayson’s mother’s house.
An audio clip released by the office of the sheriff in Logan County, Illinois, features a supervisor warning Grayson about his lack of integrity, dishonest reports, and misconduct in office. The alleged misconduct took place during Grayson’s employment stint from May 2022 to April 2023.
Aggravated Misconduct Charges
In bodycam footage, Grayson is seen discharging his firearm on the unarmed Massey, resulting in her death. He is currently facing charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct. Grayson entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.
Critical Incidents
Grayson had been noted in March 2023 as being extremely angry by the Girard police chief. According to the chief, Grayson was enduring a difficult period in his life as he was newly diagnosed with cancer and his brother had recently died by suicide. More accusations against Grayson lay in a multipage disciplinary file from the office of the Logan County sheriff.
A couple accused Grayson of harassment and misuse of power during a traffic stop. According to their complaint, the woman was asked by Grayson, who was accompanied by another male officer, to remove a bag of illicit substances from her body in their presence. She was later administered to a hospital to undergo a procedure to remove the bag. The woman reported Grayson ignoring her privacy and barging in during her examination, an accusation he denied. The allegations the couple made against Grayson were declared as being without merit and he left his position in Logan County in good standing.
The Shooting Incident
Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office hired Grayson soon after he left Logan County. While employed at Sangamon, Grayson was called to respond to a potential intruder reported by Sonya Massey. On arriving at Massey’s residence, Grayson asked Massey to provide identification and turn off her stove. Massey, who was boiling water at the time, complied with the first officer’s demands but began to pray when Grayson threatened her verbally. The video footage shows Grayson discharging his firearm three times when Massey tried to duck for cover. Grayson defended his action by stating that Massey was planning to throw boiling water on him, a claim that isn’t supported by available video footage.
Grayson had previously admitted to drinking and driving when he was seeking to be employed as a police officer. He served in six different departments during a span of four years and left the Army after 19 months. Grayson’s attorney has declined to comment on his client’s case.
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