Sonya Massey was a vibrant 36-year-old mother, cherished by her two teenage children, a son and a daughter. Described by her son as outgoing and friendly, she had a knack for making connections with anyone she met. A passionate cook, she was known for her willingness to lend a helping hand. Massey grew up in a family with three siblings and both parents still alive; her father fondly referred to her as a "daddy’s girl." Her lineage traces back to William Donnegan, a Black man who survived a lynching during the notorious race riots in Springfield in 1908, an event that ultimately contributed to the establishment of the NAACP. Tragically, Donnegan passed away in the same hospital where Massey was later declared dead.

Massey struggled with paranoid schizophrenia, a fact her daughter shared, emphasizing that she should still be alive today.

Massey is among the latest unarmed Black women fatally shot by police in her residence without having committed a crime. Her name joins the ranks of others such as Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Niani Finlayson, and Kathryn Johnston. She also represents the harrowing reality of mentally ill Black women who have lost their lives during police encounters, alongside figures like Eleanor Bumpurs, Deborah Danner, and Brianna Grier.

On the early morning of August 6, Massey called the police, fearing an intruder. When deputies Sean Grayson and an unnamed partner arrived, they found no signs of an intruder outside her home in a predominantly low-income neighborhood. After entering, Grayson requested her driver’s license. Distracted by a pot of boiling water on the stove, he advised her to remove it to prevent a potential fire, despite being the one who should have handled the situation. John Miller, CNN’s Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, criticized the deputies’ handling of the scene, suggesting they could have managed the situation more effectively.

It was evident that Massey may have been experiencing mental health challenges. Grayson had just inquired about her mental well-being, to which she responded affirmatively, stating she was taking her medication. The situation escalated rapidly, likely leaving Massey confused and frightened.

As reported by The Guardian, while attempting to handle the pot, Massey questioned why the officers had distanced themselves from her. Grayson, laughing, replied, “Away from your hot steaming water,” to which Massey responded, “Oh, I’ll rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

With his weapon drawn, Grayson approached Massey, who was beginning to kneel behind a counter with her hands raised. He then threatened, “You better fucking not, I swear to God I’ll fucking shoot you right in your fucking face.” Massey’s pleas of “I’m sorry” were heard as Grayson advanced and fired three shots, one of which struck her below the eye and exited from the back of her neck.

Witnessing the tragedy of Sonya Massey’s murder echoed the painful cycle of violence against Black individuals, often igniting national outrage. The desensitization to such occurrences is alarming, yet they continue to happen