Sonya Massey’s family, alongside Sangamon County officials in Illinois, has reached a substantial settlement. The county has agreed to compensate Massey’s family with $10 million.

This settlement comes almost a year following the tragic incident in which Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman and mother of two, was fatally shot in her home by a sheriff’s deputy responding to her plea for assistance.

The agreement is likely to prevent a potential lawsuit connected to the shooting involving former deputy Sean Grayson, who has been charged with first-degree murder in relation to Massey’s death.

Jack Campbell, the former sheriff of Sangamon County who employed Grayson, resigned in the aftermath of the shooting. In an effort to enhance the training provided to law enforcement, the county reached an agreement with the Justice Department to implement de-escalation training, improve interactions with individuals facing mental health challenges, and promote unbiased policing practices.

In the wake of the shooting, a citizen-led initiative called the Massey Commission was established to address systemic issues of racism and build trust within law enforcement and other public service sectors, according to its official website.

Before the settlement was approved, Andy Van Meter, chair of the Sangamon County Board, circulated a memo regarding the shooting incident.

“No financial settlement can erase the actions of a rogue former deputy, but this agreement aims to offer some form of relief to the Massey family for their immeasurable loss,” the memo stated.

“The county remains committed to collaborating with the community to strengthen policies to help ensure that tragedies like this are prevented in the future.”

Massey’s murder garnered national attention as another case highlighting police brutality and the tragic consequences of law enforcement encounters with individuals needing mental health support.

In the days leading up to the shooting, both Massey and her mother made multiple 911 calls seeking help. Massey’s mother specifically requested that the dispatcher refrain from sending any “biased” responders, expressing her concerns for her daughter’s safety.

On the day of the incident, Massey herself contacted emergency services regarding a suspected intruder. Grayson, along with another deputy, responded to the call. While in Massey’s living room, Grayson instructed the other deputy to remove a pot of water from the stove.

Massey took it upon herself to remove the pot, at which point Grayson backed away and she stated, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson then brandished his weapon and ordered her to drop the pot. Massey ducked behind a counter and expressed her apologies. Grayson fired three shots, fatally wounding her with a gunshot to the head.

“When Sonya Massey was facing the barrel of his gun, she crouched down and said, ‘Sorry, sir, sorry,’ just as the shot was fired,” remarked civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Massey’s family, in a press conference last year. “The autopsy confirms what everyone knows: this was a senseless and excessive use of force.”

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Massey’s family revealed that she was a descendant of William Donnegan, a Black man who was lynched during the Springfield race riots of 1908, which resulted in the deaths of 17 Black individuals over two days. This historical event prompted both Black and white citizens to form the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). A relative noted that Massey was taken to the same hospital where Donnegan was pronounced dead 116 years earlier.

Massey’s family is scheduled to hold a press conference regarding the settlement on Wednesday, a day that would have marked her 37th birthday.