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It saddens me that my last statement as Acting Stated Clerk is about another senseless tragedy that should not have occurred. Sonya Massey was a woman in need of assistance, and the very people who were sworn to protect her are the ones who ended her life.

We’ve all heard the news of how the 36-year-old Illinois woman called law enforcement to her home on July 6 because she suspected a prowler was on her property. In the minutes that unfolded, two deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office responded. Finding no prowler, they spoke with Massey inside her home. Upon reminding her of boiling water on the stove, some words were exchanged, shots were fired and Massey was dead in her own kitchen.

This latest tragedy brings back the painful memories of recent years in the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, among others. It is a scene that plays out all too often in our country: unarmed people of color, facing death at the hands of law enforcement when clearly there were other options. It is a scene that will continue to play out as long as community, state and federal leaders allow sworn officers to patrol the streets of their communities without the proper training to avoid these very scenarios.

In each of these violent cases, we’ve heard words about reform, more accountability and new efforts to create safer streets. But in reality, little has changed. How many more must pay the price for inaction? How many families have to bury a loved one because some officers believe a badge puts them above the law?

Our families deserve more than lip service and a promise to do better. It requires action that includes, but is not limited to:

  • Better screening of applicants for law enforcement jobs.
  • More training for officers on interacting with individuals in emotional distress.
  • More accountability from law enforcement in the deaths of individuals who were not armed or posing a threat.

Sonya Massey was a mother and a daughter. She reached out for help, not to be gunned down in her own home. Speak her name; work for justice.

Acting Stated Clerk Signature
Rev. Bronwen Boswell
Acting Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)