A downstate sheriff whose deputy fatally shot Sonya Massey, 36, in her Springfield-area home last month announced his retirement Friday after calls for his resignation from critics including Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said he has been “proactive and transparent” in presenting the facts of the shooting to the public and continued to pin the blame for Massey’s killing on Sean Grayson, the deputy charged with murder in Massey’s death who was fired from the sheriff’s office.
But Campbell said the political climate made it “almost impossible” for him to continue in his role.
“There are those who would rather see our community divided and in turmoil than allow me to continue serving as sheriff,” Campbell said in a statement. “My health, the health of my family, the sheriff’s office and our community must be my priority.”
His retirement will be effective no later than August 31, according to the statement.
For weeks, Campbell, a Republican who was elected to the post in 2018, has resisted calls to resign. In recent days, Campbell has said he is “fully prepared” to return to his role as sheriff, dismissing calls for his resignation from Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, both Democrats, as “political maneuvering during a tragic event.”
But on Friday, Campbell said some people wanted him to “pay the price” for Grayson’s actions, “even threatening to pay that price with my life, my family’s life or my deputies’ life.”
“We can only persevere together as a community if we turn down the heat and resolve to do better,” Campbell said. “We must honor Sonya Massey’s life by ensuring that no one else falls victim to such a tragic and senseless act.”
A statement from Pritzker’s office said the governor “hopes that a fresh start with new leadership will usher in a new era of reform and restore lost trust between the Sangamon County community and the Sheriff’s Office.”
Massey’s killing sparked protests across the country, including in Springfield and Chicago, and reignited a national debate over police use of deadly force against black people.
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office was the sixth Illinois police department Grayson, 30, had worked for in less than four years. Before joining law enforcement, Grayson had two prior DUI convictions in neighboring Macoupin County.
Records show that before the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office hired Grayson last year, the office spoke with some of the law enforcement agencies that had previously employed him and those agencies questioned his abilities as an officer, saying he needed more training. Campbell downplayed that issue in a previous statement, saying “this is not unusual for deputies with Grayson’s experience,” and that he underwent a 16-week training program for new and lateral deputies when he was hired in Sangamon County.
On July 6, Grayson and another deputy officer responded to a 911 call about a possible prowler outside Massey’s home in an unincorporated area outside Springfield. When Grayson, who is white, and the other deputy officer arrived, Massey, who is black, took a few minutes to answer the door and appeared confused. Her family said she suffers from mental health issues.
The two officers said they found no one around Massey’s house. Inside, a conversation took place around a pot of boiling water on Massey’s stove.
According to body camera footage, Massey allegedly said, “Oh, I’m going to reprimand you in the name of Jesus,” before Grayson angrily responded, “You better not do it. I swear to God. I’m going to shoot you in the face.”
Grayson then demanded that Massey drop the pot before shooting her. The Sangamon County Coroner’s Office said she died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Grayson was taken into custody about two weeks after the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and misconduct in office.
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