Tallahassee honors Sonya Massey, demands police accountability

Tallahassee, FL – On August 7, a dozen community members gathered at the Smokey Hollow Historic District for a vigil for Sonya Massey and other victims of police brutality. The vigil was hosted by the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC).

Sonya Massey was only 36 when she was murdered by Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson on July 6. Massey called 911 to report a possible “prowler” near her home in Springfield, Illinois. Grayson’s body cam footage, released two weeks ago, shows Sonya Massey being shot in the head by Officer Grayson while holding a pot of hot water in her hands – her last words were “I’m sorry.”

Various local organizations were present at the vigil. Tally Dissenters Danyal Colomathi stated, “Hearing about Sonya Massey’s Murder was not easy to digest or watch. Seeing another sister be taken mercilessly without a second thought is another reminder that this country will not protect us unless there is money involved. There’s no one to call on but our own.”

Serenity Williams of the Leon County Democrats called out local public officials, stating “We all know what it is like when we need help when we call on someone we can trust when we call on someone who’s supposed to be there to protect us and they don’t. It really boils my blood that even after the marching, demanding, and lobbying, those in office right down the street are still not listening to us.” She added, “They’re still not putting action behind their Black Lives Matter fakeness of 2020.”

Tavyan Dorsey of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization echoed this sentiment, stating. “If you understand Kamala Harris’s history as attorney general in the state of California, where she kept Black men in prison past their release dates for cheap labor, how are we supposed to believe that she’s going to be a progressive candidate? There’s nothing to be excited for. We’ll be going to Chicago to march on the Democratic National Convention to demand an end to these police crimes, demand an end to the genocide in Palestine, and to demand that working people finally get treated with dignity in this country.”

The Tallahassee Community Action Committee highlighted how the story of Sonya Massey connects to their city’s struggles. Alongside Sonya Massey, the community remembered its victims lost to police brutality since 2020, including. Mychael Johnson, Tony McDade, Raheem Reeder and Wilbon Woodard.

Delilah Pierre, president of TCAC emphasized, “During the 2020 George Floyd movement, I saw Tony McDade be murdered by the Tallahassee Police Department after his family begged for support from TPD; we saw TPD murder Wilbon Woodard and Michael Johnson in the same week; we saw TPD murder Raheem Reeder.”

Pierre continued, “We’re going to remember these people. We won’t forget Sonya Massey and how she represents hundreds of thousands of other Black people who have been criminalized, neglected and killed.”

The vigil ended with attendees saying Sonya Massey’s name and a moment of silence. TCAC will be at the next city commission meeting on August 21 to demand accountability for corrupt cops in TPD and an end to the $125 million police station project currently underway.

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