Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has urged Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign in the wake of the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey by one of his deputies. The incident occurred on July 6 when Massey, a Black woman, called 911 for help and was shot by Deputy Sean Grayson, who now faces multiple charges including first-degree murder.
Governor Pritzker criticized Sheriff Campbell for failing to explain how Grayson was hired despite concerns about his past, which included being discharged from the Army for misconduct and a history of disciplinary issues during his brief law enforcement career.
Grayson was dismissed from the Sheriff's Department on July 17 for violating use-of-force standards by fatally shooting Massey instead of using non-lethal methods to address the situation.
Despite calls for his resignation, Sheriff Campbell has expressed his intention to remain in his position, emphasizing his commitment to leading the office through this challenging period and implementing necessary reforms.
The Governor highlighted Campbell's lack of communication with the Massey family, stating that the family has expressed a desire to meet with the Sheriff but no meeting has taken place yet.
In response, Campbell mentioned that he has attempted to arrange meetings with the family through intermediaries, but none have been accepted. He also defended his efforts to provide transparency by establishing a web page for media inquiries and releasing relevant documents.
Pritzker emphasized the need for accountability and swift action to address the tragedy, urging Campbell to engage with the community and make meaningful changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
While the Sheriff's office continues to mourn the loss of Sonya Massey, Campbell reiterated his commitment to internal healing and ensuring that all employees uphold the highest standards of conduct.
