Last month, the small town of Greenfield, Arkansas was struck by tragedy when 29-year-old Sonia Massie was fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy who had responded to her 911 call.
Now, Sonia's father, James Massie, is speaking out against the police's handling of the incident and criticizing Meghan Markle for her recent comments about his daughter. In the early hours of June 18th, Sonia Massie made a frantic and terrified 911 call. She reported an intruder in her home and begged the dispatcher to send help immediately. Within minutes, two deputies from the Greenfield County Sheriff's Office arrived at Sonia's modest single-story house on the outskirts of town.
Body cam footage released by the sheriff's department last week shows the chaotic scene that unfolded. The deputies can be seen approaching the front door with guns drawn as Sonia emerged onto her porch, holding a small kitchen knife. She appeared confused and scared. "Drop the knife, drop the knife now," one of the deputies yelled. Sonia took a step forward, still holding the knife, and the deputy opened fire. She was struck multiple times and fell to the ground, the knife clattering beside her. The deputies immediately called for emergency medical assistance, but it was too late. Sonia was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the days following the shooting, the Greenfield County Sheriff's Office defended the actions of the deputies, stating that they felt their lives were in danger when Sonia refused to drop the knife. The case has been turned over to the state police for investigation, as is standard procedure. However, Sonia's father, James Massie, is outraged by the police's portrayal of the incident. In an exclusive interview with our news team, the 62-year-old construction worker angrily condemned the deputy's use of lethal force.
"My daughter was scared, that's all," Massie said, his voice shaking with emotion. "She called the police for help because she thought there was an intruder, and they show up and just shoot her down like a dog. It's disgusting. Those cops murdered my little girl." Massie explained that Sonia, a single mother of two young children, had been dealing with mental health issues in the months leading up to her death. He claimed she had recently stopped taking her prescribed medication due to side effects and was struggling to cope. "She was terrified of being alone in that house, especially at night," Massie explained. "She'd had a few incidents where she thought she heard noises or saw shadows and she'd get herself all worked up. That's why she called the police; she was scared out of her mind and just wanted them to come check it out."
Massie believes the deputies should have de-escalated the situation and attempted to disarm Sonia without using lethal force. "She was holding a little kitchen knife, for God's sake. Those cops could have easily tackled her or tased her or something, but no, they just start shooting right away. It's unacceptable," he said.
The grieving father's anger only intensified after recent comments made by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, regarding Sonia's death. During an interview on a popular morning talk show, Meghan spoke about the incident and suggested that Sonia was at least partially to blame for her own death. "It's a heartbreaking situation, but from the information we've seen, it does seem that the young woman escalated the confrontation by refusing to drop the weapon," Meghan said. "The officers were likely just reacting to what they perceived as a threat to their safety. While any loss of life is tragic, I think it's important to look at the full context of these types of incidents."
Massie was outraged by Meghan's words. "Who the hell does she think she is, blaming my daughter for getting murdered?" he exclaimed. "Meghan Markle doesn't know a damn thing about what happened that night. She's just another out-of-touch celebrity trying to tell us how to feel. It's disgusting." Massie went on to call Meghan a privileged brat and accused her of being insensitive to the struggles of ordinary working-class people like his family. "Sonia was dealing with mental health issues and scared for her life. She made one bad call in the heat of the moment, and those cops took advantage of that to kill her. It's not her fault; it's the fault of a system that fails to protect people like us," he said.
The aftermath of Sonia's death has been devastating for her family. Her two children, ages six and eight, are now being raised by their grandmother, Massie's ex-wife. Massie said the kids are struggling to understand why their mother is gone. "They keep asking when Mommy's coming home, and I have to tell them she's not. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do," he said, wiping away tears. "Sonia was the light of their lives."
