US police officer shoots dead a woman in her home: report.
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New York: A police officer in US shot dead a woman who called 911 for reporting a suspected intruder, NDTV reported.
The bodycam released by Illinois police showed chaotic moments leading to fatal shooting.
Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson has been dismissed from job and charged with murder and official misconduct for killing Sonya Massey, 36, over the 4th of July weekend.
He has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond as of Monday, just as White House condemned the incident.
The bodycam released by Illinois police on Monday showed officers shouting at Massey, pointing gun at her, asking her to put down a pot of boiling water.
The incident was reported in Springfield 200 miles (320 km) south of Chicago in the early hours of July 6.
Massey called the police to her home believing that someone had broken into her home.
Officers followed her inside as she searched for her identification with Grayson noticing a pot on lit stove.
When he told her ‘We don't need a fire while we're here,’ she walked over to the stove to remove the pot.
When Grayson laughed about her pot of "steaming hot water," she said "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."
Grayson warned her against throwing water at him, saying ‘You better not, or I swear to God I'll shoot you in your [expletive] face.’
Grayson pulled out his pistol and asked her to drop the pot, before shooting her.
Massey was quoted as saying, ‘OK, I'm sorry,’ before ducking.
After shooting, the officer reportedly said ‘What else do we do? I'm not taking hot boiling water to the face.’
Later Grayson told her colleague that Massey would not need medical help, adding ‘She’s done. You can go get it, but that's a head shot."
Afterwards, he went to take his own medical kit as the other officer urged to stop Massey's bleeding.
President Biden said that her death serves as a reminder "that all too often Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not."
Vice-President Kamala Harris urged the Congress for police reforms, while saying on X: "Sonya Massey deserved to be safe.