Sonya Massey murder: Sangamon County sheriff refuses to resign after Pritzker's call following fatal shooting

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell announced he would not resign despite Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s call for his resignation following the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey by one of his deputies last month.

On Wednesday, Governor Pritzker, a Democrat, stated that Campbell, a Republican, should step down, claiming, "the sheriff has failed."

"He has failed to explain how he ended up hiring this deputy sheriff who has been fired from other departments," Pritzker said at an event in Chicago. "He failed to put forward reforms that clearly need to be made, training and other reforms and still has failed to meet with the Massey family."

No evidence has emerged to support claims that Deputy Sean Grayson was fired from previous law enforcement jobs. Pritzker did not provide specific details on what "training and other reforms" he believes Campbell should have enacted since the shooting.

Grayson, 30, faces charges of three counts of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct in the July 6 shooting death of Massey, 36. Campbell, who hired Grayson in May 2023, reiterated his decision to remain in office.

"The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office continues to grieve for Sonya Massey and her family," Campbell said in a statement. "While our grief cannot compare to the pain of the family, our office is trying to heal from within; All employees of the Sheriff’s Office feel betrayed by one of their own."

Campbell emphasized his willingness to meet with Massey's family, stating he has made four requests through intermediaries but has not received a response. He expressed openness to modifying hiring practices if necessary, but emphasized that any changes should be based on identifying the problem and aligning with statewide standards.

"We are working diligently to gather all the facts in order to make intelligent decisions and to avoid making changes that are unlikely to lead to meaningful results," Campbell said. "Calls for my resignation are nothing more than political maneuvering during a tragic event and only hurt the good citizens of Sangamon County."

Grayson's past has come under scrutiny. Before entering law enforcement, he was discharged from the Army a decade ago following the first of two DUI arrests within a year. His law enforcement career spanned six jobs in four years, with some performance reviews indicating a need for additional training and noting one disciplinary issue.

Grayson was terminated on July 17 for violating use-of-force standards, specifically for shooting Massey instead of using non-lethal measures when he felt threatened by a pan of hot water she was holding, according to authorities.

Pritzker, who, along with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, met with Massey's family two weeks ago, criticized Campbell for not engaging with them.

"At a minimum, listen to them, hear them, and then hopefully, take action," Pritzker said.

Campbell maintained his willingness to meet with the family and stressed the importance of statewide changes to hiring standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

"We need to unite and heal. The one responsible is in jail and will never work in law enforcement again," Campbell stated. "I am fully prepared to continue leading my office and serving the residents of Sangamon County through this difficult period, ensuring we learn from this tragedy and work toward a better future."

Sheriff Jack Campbell's full statement

"The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office continues to grieve for Sonya Massey and her family. While our grief cannot compare to the pain of the family, our office is trying to heal from within; All employees of the Sheriff’s Office feel betrayed by one of their own.

On four separate occasions, I have requested to meet with the Massey family through intermediaries designated by the family. My requests have been rejected or not accepted. I am still willing to meet with the family.

The Sheriff’s Office is willing to modify our hiring practices in order to prevent an incident like this from occurring again. However, before changes can be made, it is important to identify the problem. We have used a process that we believe was consistent with statewide standards. If these standards are deficient, we would advocate a change at all necessary levels.

We are working diligently to gather all the facts in order to make intelligent decisions and to avoid making changes that are unlikely to lead to meaningful results. I agree with the Governor’s comments from yesterday, there are still questions. I have worked tirelessly to make all the facts available to the public as swiftly and transparently as possible.

I am committed to working with our community and elected leaders to improve not only the Sheriff’s Office but also hiring standards on a statewide level to prevent a state agency from certifying a similar law enforcement officer six different times in the future.

We need to unite and heal. The one responsible is in jail and will never work in law enforcement again. Calls for my resignation are nothing more than political maneuvering during a tragic event and only hurt the good citizens of Sangamon County.

I was overwhelmingly elected to lead the Sheriff’s Office through both good times and bad. I am fully prepared to continue leading my office and serving the residents of Sangamon County through this difficult period, ensuring we learn from this tragedy and work toward a better future."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.