Sonya Massey’s killing by Illinois deputy inspires Houston protest at Emancipation Park
A national day of mourning was held across the country for 36-year-old Sonya Massey on Sunday. Massey was shot and killed by an Illinois police officer earlier on July 6th.
A couple of hundred people showed up at Emancipation Park to honor and remember Massey. There were many speakers who said the incident in Illinois affected people in Houston.
"It’s a terrible world when you’re not safe in your own home," said one attendee.
Thirty-six-year-old Sonya Massey was shot and killed by a now-fired Illinois sheriff’s deputy earlier this month. Prosecutors said the deputy, Sean Grayson, was responding to Massey’s 9-1-1 call about a possible intruder. In the body camera video, the deputy is seen pointing his gun at Massey and yelling at her to put down a pot of boiling water. She then apologizes as she lowers the pot and ducks for cover before the officer shoots her in the face.
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"I want to kind of show the world that Houston stands with Sonya Massey," said Quig Williams, a Houston resident.
Communities across the country are now holding a National Day of Mourning for Sonya Massey.
"We’re here today in solidarity calling for action. We want a federal criminal justice reform, the George Floyd policing act. We want more accountability for police officers," said Representative Ron Reynolds.
"What we’re doing here is we going to stand for change because until there’s justice there will be no peace," said Williams.
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The organizer of the event was rapper Trae Tha Truth. He said he's determined to turn the tragedy into a catalyst for change.
"That’s a heartbreaking situation to watch that video. What if that was our mother, our aunt, our grandmother? So I felt like it needed to be done," said Trae Tha Truth.
"We have to stop police brutality. What happened to Sonya Massey was not acceptable by any measure. We saw it happen with George Floyd and countless other African Americans," said Jennine Hovell- Cox, a Houston resident.
The deputy who shot Massey is Sean Grayson. He is charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bond.