Supporters at Sonya Massey rally in Springfield: 'Keep our eye on the prize'

Dameon Johnson of Springfield said he didn't know Sonya Massey.

But when Johnson, president of the East Springfield Community Center Commission, got word that a group out of New York City was putting together a nationwide effort for a National Day of Mourning for Massey, the 36-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot in her home in an unincorporated part of Woodside Township on July 6, he knew he had to act.

"All that I've read, all that I've seen, she seems like she's my little sister and I took personal attachment to this issue, to this tragedy," Johnson said to a crowd of about 300 to 350 people at Comer Cox Park Sunday. "Look, this is ground zero (for this). If you look around here, this is truly amazing."

Many of the attendees were wearing purple, Massey's favorite color, and wearing "Say Her Name: Sonya Massey" shirts.

Afterwards, the crowd marched to Bunn Park, shutting down Clear Lake Avenue for about 45 minutes.

Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean P. Grayson, 30, was charged with murder and pleaded not guilty in Sangamon County Court on July 18. He remains in custody.

The chaotic and sometimes gruesome body camera footage, released to the public on July 22, brought on a U.S. Department of Justice investigation.

K.J. Moore of Springfield said she lived several blocks away from Massey.

Moore had a daughter, like Massey, who had a mental crisis last spring.

Springfield Police came twice in 48 hours but, Moore said, "they showed compassion. If I had not been an advocate or voice for her, the same thing could've happened. It was a totally different scenario.

"Mental illness is real and as part of police training, that is something that is pertinent."

Police had been to Massey's home the day before the shooting for a mental health episode. A family member at a press conference last week said Massey was diagnosed was "paranoid schizophrenia."

Joe Feiden of Springfield came to Sunday's rally with a "Campbell resign" sign, a reference to Sheriff Jack Campbell, who has been under scrutiny for his hiring of Grayson.

"The Illinois State Constitution doesn't allow for impeachment," Feiden said. "A sheriff can be removed if there's a lynching when a person is in his custody. I would argue that this is a modern-day lynching."

State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, grew up knowing members of the Massey family.

While she said she was proud of how the Springfield community has been respectful in its response to the shooting, "we will do what we need to do to hold everyone accountable, every single person accountable, because there are layers to this thing. We're going to peel back this onion."

Austin Randolph, president of the Springfield NAACP, said there was "no excuse, no explanation, no reason for Ms. Massey not to be here today.

"We must peaceful. We must be positive. We must help each other, but we must keep our eye on the prize."

Massey's mother, Donna, thanked the crowd for its support.

"This is not just for Sonya," she said. "This is for all of us. We still haven't gotten justice and it's time."

Union Baptist lead pastor, the Rev. T. Ray McJunkins, said while he lauded the peaceful nature of the protests in Springfield, "we're still ignoring the fact that we're hurting and that we're grieving. (The listening session) allows us to come forth and express: 'I'm shocked that in this day and time something like this is still happening.'

"I want the community to speak out because it's so easy to point the finger and blame someone."

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Sonya Massey's mom: 'We still haven't gotten justice and it's time.'