Sean Grayson: Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke ‘in the name of Jesus’ indicated intent to kill him
CNNJul 31
DOJ Investigating Sonya Massey Shooting
Above: Demonstrators protest the killing of Sonya Massey in July 2024. Image copyright: John Lamparski/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The US Justice Department (DOJ) has opened an official investigation into the fatal police shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman, at the hands of Sangamon County, Ill., Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson on July 6, 2024.
While Grayson has been criminally charged with murder, the DOJ's investigation is focused on the sheriff's department, including its hiring practices, racial diversity in the department, and the decision to employ Grayson despite his prior record.
The Spin
Left narrative
Massey's murder was the tragic culmination of years of Grayson being let off the hook, despite a history of violating people's civil rights and lying about drug arrests. Massey was the descendent of a Black man who was lynched by a white mob, and it appears the legal system is still promoting the same type of bigoted behavior.
Right narrative
These types of shootings go viral because of how rare they are. Police use of force makes up 0.1% of 911 calls and fatal shootings just 0.002%. Often the media creates fake statistics to drum up anti-police public sentiment, thereby making up for the rarity of these incidents. If the media weren't so dishonest, the police would have a better reputation.