Sparking change: Organizer of protest for Sonya Massey also seeking answers
Tiara Standage is hoping to spark change and get some answers in organizing a protest Friday for Sonya Massey, who was fatally shot by Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy gunfire during a call to her residence in the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue early on July 6.
As a Black woman like Massey, Standage said she has been treated "less than" she believed police would treat others.
"They're supposed to protect and serve," said Standage, in a July 10 interview. "I don't know what led up to the death of Sonya Massey and I would like to know."
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Illinois State Police, which has been conducting an independent investigation into the matter, said in a written statement Wednesday that it wouldn't be releasing sheriff's deputies' body worn camera and additional information "at this time."
The statement also said State Police will share "when appropriate" the video with Massey's family before releasing further.
Addressing Tuesday's Sangamon County Board meeting, board member Gina Lathan said she hoped the community wouldn't be "heavily dependent and rely on speculation but definitely lean towards and rely on facts and findings from the investigation."
'A lot of speculation'
According to information put out by the county on Saturday, deputies were summoned to Massey's home at 12:50 a.m. Saturday for a possible break-in. The news release indicated that deputies reported shots were fired at approximately 1:21 a.m.
Massey was taken by ambulance to HSHS St. John's Hospital where she died at 1:47 a.m.
For Standage, the shooting struck close to home.
"The public doesn't know what happened yet," she said. "That leads to a lot of speculation, a lot of wondering of the minds. All we know is that a Black woman called the police for help for a possible intruder into her home and she ended up killed inside of her own home.
"I would like to know, as her family and the whole community would like to know, why? How do we go from calling the police to protect us to being killed by the police? What occurred in between?"
One of Massey's neighbors, Sheree Lewis, described Massey as a quiet woman who stayed to herself. One of Lewis' sons, she said, attended school with Massey's daughter.
Lewis, who was outside reading that morning, said she heard "popping" and then about 20 police cars descend on the neighborhood.
"It makes me scared for myself and for my children," Lewis said of the shooting. "I feel as a Black woman, we're the least protected species."
Standage said she can relate.
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Recalling contacting police about her own domestic violence situation, Standage said she was laughed in her face. The state's attorney, she said, wouldn't press charges against the individual until he ran over Standage in broad daylight in front of her neighbors.
"I don't like to get the police involved because of my experience because it always makes things worse," Standage insisted.
'Peaceful protest'
The protest in front of the county building, Standage added, isn't to divide the community "but to strengthen it and provide a peace of mind to what happens next.
"This is a peaceful protest, and I will be in the forefront letting people know this is a peaceful protest. There's already been a violent act against a woman in our community. We don't want to increase the violence. We're trying to decrease it."
Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory said that he doesn't want to see Friday's protest "to be a political thing," but instead, something people can learn from.
"I really want us to look at, however we can, to get better so these situations don't arise and don't happen in our community," said Gregory, who attended school with Massey and knows some of her family members. "People want to see good changes come from anything that wasn't right (though) I'm not saying it was or wasn't (right)."
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; [email protected]; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Supporters of woman fatally shot by Springfield-area deputies seek answers
