Solange Knowles, the acclaimed R&B singer, has voiced her outrage over the treatment of Black women in the United States following the tragic death of Sonya Massey.
Sonya Massey’s killing
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, was killed by an Illinois sheriff’s deputy at her home on July 6 in Springlfield, Illinois. Massey, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, had called the police, fearing an attempted break-in.
Bodycam footage released earlier this week revealed the harrowing details of the incident, igniting widespread outrage and calls for accountability.
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The video showed two white sheriff’s deputies arriving at Massey’s home and searching for potential threats. During the encounter, one of the deputies noticed a pot of boiling water on the stove and asked Massey to remove it for safety reasons.
As Massey complied, she made a joking remark, which led to an escalation in the situation. The deputy responded aggressively, threatening her life before eventually shooting her in the face.
Massey was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. The officer who fired the fatal shot, Sean Grayson, has since been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He remains in custody without bond, awaiting trial.
Solange Knowles calls for justice for Massey
On Tuesday, July 23, Solange used her platform on X (formerly known as Twitter) to demand change and justice for Massey.
