Illinois governor calls for sheriff to resign after Sonya Massey shooting

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Lt. Governor Stratton are the latest to call on Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign over his handling of a former Sheriff’s Deputy shooting of an unarmed Springfield Black woman last month.

Former Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson killed Sonya Massey after shooting her in the head on July 6. Body camera footage shows Grayson drawing his weapon when Massey was moving a pot of boiling water off her stove.

Grayson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder , but pleaded not guilty . The deputy was fired by Campbell minutes after being charged.

The governor and lieutenant governor said they believe the Sheriff’s Office needs new leadership.

“Today, we join the Massey family in calling for Sheriff Campbell’s resignation immediately so the Springfield and Sangamon County community can begin to rebuild and restore trust between citizens and the Sheriff’s Department,” Pritzker and Stratton said in a joint statement Wednesday morning. “We will continue to keep the Massey family in our prayers.”

Pritzker and Stratton criticized Campbell for not taking the job seriously enough and noted the Department of Justice is investigating the Sheriff’s Department for their role in Massey’s death. They said in the past month the Sheriff had ample opportunity to respond with proposed reforms to calm the community’s fears that calling the Sheriff’s Office will lead to another murder of a resident.

“The sheriff has failed,” Pritzker said at a news conference Wednesday. “He has failed to explain how he ended up hiring this deputy sheriff who has been fired from other departments. He failed to put forward reforms that clearly need to be made, training and other reforms.”

In a statement responding to Pritzker and Stratton, Campbell defended his work as an elected official while expressing support for Massey’s family. Campbell said he still does not believe he needs to resign.

“We need to unite and heal,” Campbell said. “The one responsible is in jail and will never work in law enforcement again. Calls for my resignation are nothing more than political maneuvering during a tragic event and only hurt the good citizens of Sangamon County.”

“I was overwhelmingly elected to lead the Sheriff’s Office through both good times and bad,” Campbell’s statement continues. “I am fully prepared to continue leading my office and serving the residents of Sangamon County through this difficult period, ensuring we learn from this tragedy and work toward a better future.”

Also in the statement, Pritzker and Stratton reprimanded the Sangamon County Sheriff for refusing to meet with Massey’s family, with Pritzker calling it “outrageous”. Both of them have already met with the family to discuss the legislative changes they can make.

Campbell said he’s reached out to meet with Massey’s family on “four separate occasions”. A source close to the family told WCIA they could confirm at least two attempts by the Sheriff to set up a meeting with Massey’s loved ones, but they could not speak to the other two attempts.

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