GLENN HEIGHTS, Texas — On July 6, an Illinois woman named Sonya Massey was shot dead in her home by a police officer. Sonya called 911 to report a suspected prowler; a responding officer shot her in the head, claiming he feared for his life because she was holding a pot of boiling water. He was later charged for her murder.
Sonya has family, two aunts who live in North Texas. They sat down with WFAA Tuesday night, just over one month after she died.
"For something like this to happen, to know you’ll never ever see them again, that’s so hurtful," her aunt, Wanda Massey sobbed.
"36 years old in a casket," she broke down.
Rita Edwards, also Sonya's aunt, told WFAA her niece was full of love her whole life.
"She was the same person that she was growing up," Edwards cried. "Loving, would tell you she loved you, say great things to you."
They said they try not to watch the body camera video, but also said they’re glad it’s getting attention. They told WFAA they believe Sonya's story has blown up the way it has because it might make a difference in policing, from Springfield to Dallas and everywhere else.
"It’s a mistake that she’s gone," Edwards said. "But it’s not a mistake it’s this big, that’s not a mistake at all."
"You’re there to protect and serve," Wonda cried.
Sonya's two aunts also told WFAA that when they watched the video, it felt like the officer decided Sonya was nobody, with no one who cared if she lived or died.
"Why didn’t he care enough about people that loved her?" Wanda cried. "Like his mom loves him, why didn’t he care about her?"
Wanda and Rita said the support from the community has meant everything this month.
"[Strangers have] been paying our rooms, our bills our everything, because everyone is just trying to show us they see this and they have our back," Rita cried. "And that’s a good thing to feeling, to know that people's on your side."