SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old woman who was shot by Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputies at her home on July 6.
Deputies were initially called to the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue in Springfield for a report of a prowler. The release from Crump's office said that Massey called police because she thought there was an intruder in her home.
Neither Illinois State Police or the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office have confirmed whether she was armed or if she was related to the initial prowling call.
Crump released the following statement on Thursday:
"It is extremely hard to imagine how a woman who calls the police out of fear of an intruder ends up shot in the head by police at her own home. We demand that all body camera footage from this incident be released immediately so that Sonya's family and the public can see what happened in those thirty deadly minutes. No family should have to endure the pain and suffering that Sonya's loved ones are experiencing right now."
FILE - Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is joined by family members of victims of racial injustice at the Capitol in Washington, on April 29, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)
Illinois State Police said that additional information, including body camera footage, will be released to Massey's family "when appropriate."
On Friday, the city of Springfield and Springfield Police Department addressed the shooting by extending their "deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sonya Massey."
The release also acknowledged the community's desire for answers. "We understand that uncertainty can lead to unrest, and our priority is to ensure that we also obtain the necessary clarity and answers for Sonya's family and the public as quickly as possible."
Copyright 2024. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
