Sonya Massey murder trial: Juror, Massey family cry during closing arguments
In this July 30, 2024, file photo, Donna Massey, the mother of shooting victim Sonya Massey, is comforted during a press conference at New Mount Pilgrim Church in Chicago. (Scott Olson/Getty Images, FILE)
(NEW YORK) — Closing arguments began Tuesday morning in the trial of a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy accused of shooting and killing a Black woman in her home.
The trial began last week for Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County deputy accused of fatally shooting Sonya Massey in July 2024 after she called 911 to report a possible intruder at her home in Springfield, Illinois.
“When you threaten to shoot someone in the face, and you do, that’s first-degree murder,” Sangamon County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers said during closing arguments, according to ABC affiliate WICS in Springfield, Illinois.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Three officers were shot and injured while responding to domestic disturbance call at a residence in Utah, law enforcement said.
A suspect was taken into custody following the shooting, Detective Crystal Beck, of the Brigham City Police Department, told reporters in a press conference.
The officers’ conditions were unknown, Beck said.
When they arrived at the residence in Tremonton they were immediately shot at by the suspect, she said. Those initial officers called for additional units and stopped responding to radio calls, she added.
Additional officers arrived and were able to take the suspect into custody, Beck said.
No civilians were injured and there is no current threat to the public, although the shelter in place remains, she added.
Theme park guests enjoy a ride on Stardust Racers within Celestial Park at Universal Epic Universe. Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(ORLANDO, Fla.) — The family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, the man who died after riding a roller coaster at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park in Florida last week, remembered the 32-year-old as a roller coaster enthusiast, as attorneys for the family said they are conducting an independent investigation into his death.
Zavala became unresponsive while riding the new Stardust Racers roller coaster at the Universal Orlando Resort park on Sept. 17, according to a statement from Universal Orlando Resort. He was transported to a hospital, where he was declared dead, park officials said.
He died from multiple blunt impact injuries, according to the local medical examiner, who determined the manner of death to be accidental.
Zavala’s family has since retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who said they are conducting an independent investigation to get to the “truth” and determine if anything could have prevented his death.
“We have to know what happened,” Crump said during a press briefing in Orlando on Wednesday. “We have to get answers.”
Zavala’s father, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz, said his son was born with a spinal cord atrophy. He used a wheelchair but was “not under any medical restrictions that would have prevented him” from riding the Stardust Racer, Crump said.
Zavala graduated with a bachelor’s degree in game design and loved to play video games, his father said. He worked as a job coach at the family’s business, which helped people with disabilities get job training and find employment, his father said.
“We are really proud of him,” his father said during the press briefing. “He was incredible.”
His mother, Ana Zavala, remembered him as a good son and friend who was an “angel.”
“I never put any limits on my son, regardless of what condition he had — he had no limits,” she said during the press briefing in remarks translated from Spanish. “He was raised like his siblings, no different. He was completely independent.”
She said he “loved theme parks” and roller coasters and was excited to go to Universal’s Epic Universe with his girlfriend, who got them the tickets and was with him on the ride that night.
“That last day, on the 17th, he was extremely happy all day,” she said.
His two siblings remembered Zavala as an amazing brother, as the family called for answers.
“I don’t want anybody else to feel like I feel right now,” his father said. “So please help me to get that done.”
Paul Grinke, an attorney with Crump’s firm, said they will be bringing together multiple experts, including in design, operations, manufacturing and construction, as part of their investigation. Crump also said they want to focus on restraints and will likely be advised by disability experts.
“We will find out what happened here, and we’ll try to make sure this never happens again, so that another grieving family is not standing in front of you,” Grinke said.
An officer who responded to the park around 9:20 p.m. on Sept. 17 for a “medical emergency” saw CPR in progress on Zavala “on the platform directly parallel to the ride tracks” for the roller coaster, according to an incident report released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Zavala was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after 10 p.m. that day, according to the incident report.
Zavala had ridden roller coasters “many times before without incident,” Natalie Jackson, an attorney with Crump’s firm, said during the press briefing.
He had been sitting at the front of the ride, according to Crump.
Based on witness reports, Jackson said they learned that Zavala “suffered repeated head injuries during the ride and was unconscious for the majority” of the ride. Crump said Zavala hit himself against metal on the ride.
An internal review found that the ride systems “functioned as intended,” the “equipment was intact” during the ride and park employees followed procedures, according to a memo sent in the wake of Zavala’s death from Universal Orlando Resort President Karen Irwin to staff.
A Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday that the department’s current findings’ “align with those shared by Universal after monitoring the same tests and reviewing the same information.”
The state’s investigation remains ongoing, the spokesperson said.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is also conducting an investigation into the incident, and Universal is conducting a “comprehensive review process in cooperation with the ride manufacturer of record,” Irwin said.
“Safety is, and always will be, at the forefront of everything we do,” she said in the memo.
The ride, which opened in May along with the rest of the Epic Universe theme park, reaches speeds of up to 62 mph and heights up to 133 feet. It remains closed in the wake of Zavala’s death amid the investigations.
“We are devastated by this event and extend our sincerest sympathies to the guest’s loved ones,” Universal Orlando Resort said in a statement last week. “We are fully committed to cooperating with this ongoing investigation.”
Crump’s firm also represented the family of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who fell to his death while riding the since-dismantled Orlando FreeFall ride at ICON Park in 2022.
“It’s really shocking to me that two years after Tyre Sampson, that we’re here at another tragic death related to an amusement ride,” Crump said. “It is troubling. We have to get this right. We can’t have a third time. We just can’t.”
(NEW YORK) — Dozens of fires are burning throughout the West as parts of the country remain under advisories for high temperatures.
Red flag warnings are in place for Northern California and parts of Oregon due to dry thunderstorms possible on Wednesday. The storms bring little to no rain but still produce lightning and strong wind gusts, which can start new fires and exacerbate existing fires. Dry, warm conditions also continue.
In Washington’s Cascade Mountains, a red flag warning is in place for Thursday due to relative humidity dropping to 12% in places and high temperatures in the valleys between 97 and 102 degrees and 85 to 90 degrees in the mountains. These hot, dry conditions will lead to potential rapid fire growth.
High temperatures and heat alerts are forecast for the Northwest. Temperatures are expected to be between 93 and 103 on Wednesday and Thursday.
Yakima and Spokane, Washington, may hit their all-time September highest temperature record on Wednesday, with highs around 102 degrees possible in both locations.
Los Angeles and Burbank, California, remain under a heat advisory on Wednesday for temperatures reaching between 92 and 102 degrees.
Wildfire smoke continues to blanket the Northwest, and now additional smoke from Canadian wildfires will join the American fire smoke as northerly flow begins. A plume of heavy smoke is expected to reach Omaha, Nebraska, by sunset on Wednesday.
On Thursday afternoon, very heavy smoke is expected throughout much of the Rocky Mountains, reaching from Washington to Kansas.
Heavy smoke will also spread across southern Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri on Thursday.
From Wichita, Kansas, to Kansas City, Missouri, there is a slight risk — level 2 of 5 — for severe storms Wednesday after 6 p.m.
Large to very large hail is possible, potentially as large as tennis balls, with damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 mph also possible.
