The Sonya Massey assassination isn’t getting the coverage New York Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman thinks it deserves, and the outspoken All-Star-caliber hurler expressed his disgust and urged others to be more outraged regardless of the color of the victim or the uniform.
Massey was shot three times in her home, with the fatal blow to the head, apologizing to an Illinois sheriff’s deputy seconds before he viciously gunned her down, as seen in body camera video released Monday.
An Illinois grand jury indicted former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, who is white, last week. He’s pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct.
MLB Pitcher Marcus Stroman Condemns Killing Of Sonya Massey
This is truly another low moment for law enforcement. The details that have emerged are rather disturbing and Stroman, the son of a Puerto Rican mother and Black father, a former police officer, has been a vocal baseball player when it comes to issues of social justice dating back to before the George Floyd murder.
He called America out on its racism and implored people of all colors to denounce this heinous and gross miscarriage of justice.
Similar to past episodes of police killing unarmed Blacks, it’s the damning video and audio that will seal the fate of the officer involved.
The video confirmed prosecutors’ earlier account of the tense moment when Grayson yelled from across a counter at Massey to set down a pot of hot water after telling her to turn the stove off.
He then threatened to shoot her, Massey ducked, briefly rose, and Grayson fired his pistol at her.
Authorities say Massey, 36, had called 911 earlier to report a suspected prowler. The video shows the two deputies responding just before 1 a.m. on July 6 at her home in Springfield, 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. They first walked around the house and found a black SUV with broken windows in the driveway.
When Massey opened the door after the deputies knocked, she immediately said, “Don’t hurt me.”
Reportedly, she was a bit disoriented as they spoke at the door, and she repeated that she needed help, referenced God and told them she didn’t know who owned the car.
According to reports, deputies grew increasingly frustrated with Massey as she dug through her purse to find identification so deputies could complete a report before leaving.
Then, for some reason, Grayson pointed out a pot sitting on a flame on the stove.
“We don’t need a fire while we’re here,” he said.
Massey immediately got up and went to the stove, moving the pot near a sink.
That’s where things went left.
With the pot in her hands, a good distance from the cop, Massey allegedly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson then got very aggressive saying:
“You better (expletive) not or I swear to God I’ll (expletive) shoot you in your (expletive) face.” He then pulled his 9mm pistol and demanded she drop the pot.
Massey said, “OK, I’m sorry.” In Grayson’s partner’s body camera footage, he pointed his weapon at her. She ducked and raised her hands.
Grayson was a good distance away from Massey at the time with a counter separating the two. For some reason Grayson decided to shoot to kill the lady in her own home.
More disgustingly after Grayson shot her, the man who swore to protect and serve discouraged his partner from grabbing a medical kit to save her.
“You can go get it, but that’s a headshot,” he said. “There’s nothing you can do, man.”
Rumors are surfacing that Grayson was affiliated with a white supremacist.
He added: “What else do we do? I’m not taking hot (expletive) boiling water to the (expletive) face”
Noting that Massey was still breathing. The other deputy said, “We can at least try to stop the bleeding.”
Stroman is clearly very affected by this killing. The optics are horrible, and the video is even worse. Even sadder are some of the responses to this clear abuse of police power against a woman of color.
That’s what most sickens and disheartens Stroman, a player who has millions of fans of all races, creeds and colors.
Other Celebrities Speaking Out
Solange Knowles, sister of Beyonce’ said on X:
First words Sonya Massey said at her front door were “don’t hurt me” she was told “why would we hurt you, you called us” when have those words meant anything when your black and woman in this country when do those words protect you from not being murdered in your kitchen, in your bedroom, with your babies, or on your lawn what is “reassurance”, in this place ? rest in power Sonya Massey, and an abundance of love and power to Sonya’s family on this journey
Former NBA player Nick Young questioned why Team USA hasn’t taken a stand on the issue.
“So the police shot and killed a 36-year-old Black lady holding a pot bcuz she said I rebuke you in Jesus name…and we out here playing for USA.”
l
