Former United States police officer Sean Grayson, who was convicted of killing Black woman Sonya Massey, has died in prison at the age of 32.

Grayson shot Ms Massey, 36, at her home in Springfield, Illinois, in July 2024 after she called police to report a suspected intruder.

The former officer was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of second-degree murder last year. He had been receiving treatment for colon cancer.

His lawyer, Daniel Fultz, confirmed that Grayson died on Sunday but did not provide a cause of death. The Illinois Department of Corrections also confirmed his death at a facility outside the state but gave no further details.

The shooting sparked widespread protests across the US and renewed debate over police use of force.

Body-camera footage showed Grayson and Massey speaking about a pot of boiling water in her home before the confrontation escalated.

Grayson told investigators he believed Massey was about to throw the boiling water at him. He drew his weapon and ordered her to drop the pot before firing three shots, one of which struck her in the face.

Massey had reportedly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus” shortly before Grayson fired.

She had called police after believing someone had broken into her home during the Independence Day weekend.

Grayson was dismissed from the police force following the shooting. He was initially charged with first-degree murder, but a jury convicted him of the lesser charge of second-degree murder.

Massey’s death prompted condemnation from officials, including then-President Joe Biden, who said she “should be alive today”.

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Lawyers representing Massey’s family said Grayson’s death did not erase the loss suffered by her loved ones.

“Grayson’s death in custody from cancer does not bring Sonya back,” they said.

Grayson had been diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and had recently sought release from prison on medical grounds, but his request was unsuccessful.

(BBC News)