Editor’s note: This story contains mentions of police brutality and racism. The body camera footage mentioned in this story is disturbing, and TWH does not recommend that readers seek it out.
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – On July 6, 2024, at 12:50 a.m. Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old unarmed Black woman, called 911 because she thought there was a prowler on her property. Deputies arrived, searched her property, and reportedly found a black SUV outside with broken windows. After the deputies entered Massey’s home, an altercation ensued between Massey and one of the officers. Massey was shot three times and killed by one of the deputies, who were supposed to be in her home to respond to her call for help.
Massey had called police for assistance several times in the days leading up to her death, and had been struggling with her mental health, according to family members. It does not appear that information had been communicated to the deputies.
Massey’s death echoes a long list of other cases of Black people being shot in their homes by police, often while asking for assistance.
The events at Massey’s home were captured on the body camera of one of the deputies responding to her 911 call. The 36-minute video was made public by the Illinois State Police on July 22, 2024, and shows the body-camera footage from two Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies who responded to Massey’s Springfield home just after midnight on July 6.
Sean Grayson, who was one of the responding deputies, has now been terminated from his position and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct for the shooting death of Massey. Body-worn camera footage shows that Massey moved a pan of hot water from the stove. Grayson, apparently fearing she would throw it at him, fired three times, hitting Massey once in the face, despite having several non-lethal options, according to authorities. Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
John Milhiser, the state’s attorney for the county, stated in a July 17 news release that a review of the Illinois State Police investigation into the shooting “does not support a finding that … Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force.”
On Tuesday of this week, the union representing Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies announced it would not pursue a grievance seeking Grayson’s reinstatement and the return of his lost wages and benefits. The grievance, initially filed on July 18, argued that Grayson was fired without just cause and that news of the investigation and his dismissal were publicized before he was informed.
Sean Grayson, shown here clean-shaven but bearded in the released body cam footage, was charged with first-degree murder. Image via Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office
Shortly after the body camera footage was released, many Pagans and Heathens took note of the imagery and events in the video called Body Camera #1.
In the video, Grayson prompts Massey to remove boiling water from her stove, saying, “We don’t need a fire while we’re here.” Massey goes to the stove and picks up the pot, prompting the deputies to step back and tell her to move “away from your hot steaming water.”
“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Massey responds.
“Huh?” the deputy replies.
“I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” she repeats.
“You better fucking not or I swear to God I’ll fucking shoot you in the fucking face,” Grayson says, drawing his firearm and pointing it at her.
Massey ducks and says, “I’m sorry,” while lifting the pot.
“Drop the fucking pot!” both deputies yell.
In the video, three shots are then heard. After a few seconds of silence, one deputy says “shots fired” and calls for emergency medical services.
Image from video released via the Illinois State Police includes body-camera footage
While inside Massey’s home, the other responding officer, who has not been identified, raises his right arm while pulling his gun. The video clearly shows he bears a tattoo of a wolf whose mane surrounds a staff sigil called the Vegvísir, often misidentified as a “Viking compass” or “Icelandic runic compass.”
The earliest known appearance of the Vegvísir is in the Icelandic Huld Manuscript in 1860. The symbol has magical use to offer protection to the bearer, particularly in rough seas and dangerous weather.
Vegvísir means “way-finder” in Icelandic. The symbol is commonly seen in Heathen communities and has gained popularity in non-Pagan mainstream as a symbol of strength and resilience, especially among those identifying with Viking culture.
The deputy’s Vegvísir tattoo is also surrounded by what appear to be Futhark runes and Celtic ribbon work.
Moments after the shooting, Grayson is heard speaking to another law enforcement officer. “She had boiling water and came at me with boiling water,” he says in the video. “She said she was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus and came at me with boiling water.”
The deputy with the Vegvísir tattoo is seen rendering assistance and applying first aid to Massey.
The deputy is then seen in the video by a police car, telling another officer that he is alright while cleaning his hands. He appears shaken by the events, as his left hand is shaking over a few minutes and he fumbles for disinfecting wipes.
The Wild Hunt contacted both the Illinois State Police and the Sangamon County Sherriff’s office about the deputy but has not received a response at the time of publication. There is no confirmation that the deputy is Heathen or a member of any faith or practice within the Pagan community.
Nevertheless, Heathens and Pagans are very much aware that imagery of this kind has been misappropriated by Odinist, Wotanist, and white supremacist or nationalist organizations. Many took to social media to bring attention to the image.
On Monday afternoon, The Troth released an official announcement about the shooting and the presence of the Heathen imagery on Grayson’s arm calling for policing and criminal justice reforms,
The bodycam footage that contradicted Grayson’s initial account of events showed the other responding deputy had a tattoo sleeve that appears to depict a Vegvisir surrounded by runes inside a wolf. The incident is still under investigation and no misconduct allegations have been levied against this deputy.
We do not know the faith of the deputy. However, seeing the Vegvisir, a symbol many of us have adopted to show our hope in a faith of peace and welcoming, in such a scene of violence and injustice is shocking and heartbreaking. Our shared values of justice and community demand of us to act against the injustice of a person of color killed by the very people she called for assistance.
We encourage everyone who shares these values, regardless of creed, to contact state and local lawmakers to insist on policing and criminal justice reform so that no more lives are needlessly lost. We are making a call for direct action, for members and non-members alike, to write your legislators. We have a fillable PDF in our Resources section to help you.
The Troth statement closed with “May Tyr bring justice to this situation and for Massey and her family.”
On TikTok, a Heathen and proprietor of the Hearth Kvlt shop, who goes by the handle of Fairy Gothparent, commented on Massey’s murder. “The Pagan community often complains about the fearful reactions folks outside of the community have about our symbols,” they said. “That reputation has been earned through cruelty and violence and death […] I am not suggesting that we simply abandon our symbols entirely and give up, but if we want to actually change the way they are perceived and not just bitch and moan about it amongst ourselves, it requires compassion for victims and for us to take action.”
“I stand here today before you with arms wide open and I ask for your forgiveness,” said Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell in an emotional interview before the community last night. “I ask Ms. Massey and her family for forgiveness. I offer up no excuses. What I do is offer our attempt to do better, to be better.”
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