SPRINGFIELD, Ill. − Even though she did not personally know Sonya Massey, Lisa Clanton expressed a profound sense of connection to her following the tragic event of Massey’s fatal shooting by a police officer in her own home on July 6. This incident has ignited widespread calls for racial justice across the nation.

The sheriff’s deputy, Sean Grayson, who discharged his weapon after responding to Massey’s 911 call, has since been terminated from his position and charged with first degree murder. Following this occurrence, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell announced his retirement, and Illinois residents maintain their demands for a deeper inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Massey’s death.

During a memorial service held at a local church, Clanton remarked that she felt a strong reflection of herself in Massey and the ordeal she faced.

“We’re both Black women,” Clanton stated on Wednesday at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, a congregation established in 1895. “She reached out for help. Tragically, the assistance that arrived cost her life instead of saving it; it was someone who was meant to protect her.”

Approximately 100 individuals attended the service, which featured civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents the Massey family. Among the attendees were Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, and her children, Jeanette “Summer” Massey and Malachi Hill-Massey.

Coincidentally, the day of remembrance also marked the 116th anniversary of the Springfield Race Riot, a violent conflict resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals and injuries to over 100 others, sparked by accusations against two Black men.

At 46 years old, Clanton stated that her faith and the church connected her deeply to Massey, who was 36 and whom she referred to as “my sister in Christ.”

Both women were raised in the Baptist faith, and Clanton expressed her understanding of Massey’s desperate words directed at Grayson just before he shot her in the face: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

“She was pushing back against a malevolent presence that she sensed in the sheriff’s deputy,” Clanton explained. “He was bewildered and did not comprehend the cultural significance of her words.”

Community commemorates 116 years since Springfield Race Riot

In a related announcement, President Joe Biden revealed his intention to designate the site of the riots along local railroad tracks as a national monument using the Antiquities Act.

Interestingly, Sontae Massey, Sonya’s cousin, highlighted during the memorial that their family is connected to William Donnegan, a renowned elderly Black man whose life was violently taken during the riots.

Crump urged Springfield’s community to unite in support of Massey, referencing a long list of Black victims killed by police or other authorities.

“We cannot live in fear,” Crump asserted. “We must confront those in power.”

Crump recalled a quote from the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., explaining that the cowardice will question, “Is it safe?” In contrast, he remarked that the opportunist will ask, “Is it politically correct?” while the vain will think, “Is it popular?”

“But our conscience speaks up,” Crump continued quoting King, “and asks, Is it right? It is right to stand up for Sonya Massey. It is right to raise our voices for Sonya Massey. It is right to advocate for Sonya Massey.”

Once the service wrapped up, Rev. William DeShone Rosser, the pastor of Pleasant Grove, rated the evening as “a 10 out of 10.”

“What I envisioned came to fruition and even more,” Rosser reflected. “The choir uplifted us and instilled inspiration. Ben Crump delivered a powerful message that touched our spirits and hearts.”

Clanton mentioned that the community in Springfield united in response to Massey’s passing, which was clear at the various rallies and events held in support of her family. She participated in a rally at Comer Cox Park during a National Day of Mourning for Massey on July 28.

“She sacrificed her life,” Clanton noted about Massey. “We hope this will spur progress, advocating for reforms ranging from the sheriff’s retirement to improvements in hiring procedures and greater transparency in background checks.”