Illinois police have released bodycam footage that showed the chaotic moments that led to the fatal shooting of a woman who had called 911 to report a suspected intruder at her home.
The killing of Sonya Massey, 36, over Independence Day weekend has led to criminal charges against one of the officers who responded to her home, and has drawn condemnation from President Joe Biden.
Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson has been fired from the police force and charged with murder and official misconduct.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Monday, Illinois State Police released bodycam footage that showed the officers yelling at Ms Massey to put down a pot of boiling water as they point their pistols at her.
The incident in the early hours of 6 July began when Ms Massey called police to her home in Springfield, 200 miles (320km) south of Chicago, to report that she believed someone had broken into her home.
Deputies followed her inside when Ms Massey entered her home, and watched as she searched for her identification.
Mr Grayson saw a pot sitting on a stove, gestured towards it and said, “we don’t need a fire while we’re here”.
Ms Massey walked to the stove to remove the pot. She and Mr Grayson appeared to laugh over her pot of “steaming hot water,” before she said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
“You better (expletive) not or I swear to God I’ll (expletive) shoot you in your (expletive) face,” Mr Grayson said. He then drew his pistol as he shouted for her to drop the pot.
“OK, I’m sorry,” Ms Massey is heard saying before she ducked and raised her hands.
“What else do we do? I’m not taking hot (expletive) boiling water to the (expletive) face,” he said after shooting her.
On Monday, the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office said Mr Grayson was not justified in his use of force on Ms Massey.
In a statement, President Biden said he was “heartbroken” for her family.
“Sonya Massey, a beloved mother, friend, daughter, and young Black woman, should be alive today,” he said.
“Sonya’s death at the hands of a responding officer reminds us that all too often Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not.”
Lawyers for Ms Massey’s family have commended prosecutors for their swift action against Mr Grayson.
Lawyer Benjamin Crump said the footage “is going to shock the conscience of America”.
“It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional,” he said.
