Solange weighs in.
Solange Knowles weighed in on the murder of Sonya Massey. Massey’s death at the hands of Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson sent shockwaves through the country recently. Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, called 911 to report a possible “prowler” at her home in Springfield. When police arrived, Massey and the two officers who responded to her call had a tense moment when Massey turned her stove off and was holding a pot of boiling water, which had been on the stove since before police arrived.
The first words Massey says to the officers that the body camera footage captures is “don’t hurt me.” A Soon after the officers entered her home, Massey says “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus” to the officers while holding the pot, leading to confusion and the officers raising their voices at her. Shortly after, Grayson shoots her in the head and then prevents anyone from administering aid to her. Solange Knowles is the latest celebrity to make her displeasure with police and heartbreak at Massey’s death known. She took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her brief thoughts.
Solange Knowles Reacts To Sonya Massey’s Murder
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,…
— solange knowles (@solangeknowles) July 23, 2024
Sonya Massey’s death shocked her community. Her family did not know that a deputy shot her until they learned the truth of the situation on the news. Massey’s father, James Wilburn, called for county sheriff Jack Campbell’s resignation. High-profile attorney Ben Crump, who represented the families of Tyre Nichols, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, called Massey’s death unjustifiable. “It’s one of the worst police shooting videos ever,” said Crump.
Massey’s death also prompted President Joe Biden to once again urge Congress to consider passing the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, a police reform bill introduced in 2021 that would largely change how policing works in the United States. The bill passed through the House of Representatives but was stopped in its tracks on the Senate floor, as a vote that went largely along party lines meant that the majority needed was not going to be reached. Sean Grayson is in custody and was indicted by a grand jury last week on three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. Hopefully, Massey’s family finds justice as they navigate through such tragedy.
