Solange has called out the treatment of Black women in the United States after Sonya Massey was fatally shot by the police.
The R&B singer took to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday (July 23) to reflect on the tragedy and demand change in her home country.
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“First words Sonya Massey said at her front door were ‘don’t hurt me,” she wrote. “She was told ‘why would we hurt you, you called us.’
“When have those words meant anything when your Black and woman in this country? When do those words protect you from not being murdered in your kitchen, in your bedroom, with your babies, or on your lawn? What is ‘reassurance,’ in this place?”
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Solange added: “Rest in power Sonya Massey, and an abundance of love and power to Sonya’s family on this journey.”
Check out her powerful statement below.
first words Sonya Massey said at her front door were “don’t hurt me”
she was told “why would we hurt you, you called us”
when have those words meant anything when your black and woman in this country
when do those words protect you from not being murdered in your kitchen,…
— solange knowles (@solangeknowles) July 23, 2024
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman from Springfield, Illinois, was shot and killed by an Illinois sheriff’s deputy at her home on July 6 after calling the police for help.
Massey, whom her daughter confirmed was paranoid-schizophrenic, had called the cops because she feared that someone was trying to break into her home.
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Authorities released bodycam footage of the incident earlier this week, sparking outrage.
The video shows two sheriff’s deputies, both of whom are white, searching Massey’s home and asking her for ID. One of the deputies then notices a pot of boiling water on the kitchen stove and asks Massey to remove it in case of a fire.
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When one of the deputies moves away from her as she carries the boiling pot, Massey jokingly alludes to throwing it at them, saying: “I’ll rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
One of the deputies then sternly replies: “You better fucking not. I swear to God, I’ll fucking shoot you right in your fucking face.”
The same officer then pulls out his gun and aims it at Massey, who quickly apologizes and cowers behind her kitchen counter while seemingly still holding the pot of boiling water.
Moments later, he fires three shots at Massey, with one of the bullets striking her in the face below the eye.
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“That’s a headshot. She’s done,” the deputy says before going to get the med kit as Massey lies on the floor “still gasping,” according to one of the officers.
Massey was later taken to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.
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The officer who fired the fatal shot, Sean Grayson, has been arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He is currently being held without bond until his trial is set to begin.
