Illinois Gov. Pritzker calls for sheriff to resign after Sonya Massey shooting

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton are formally calling for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign, expressing frustration with how the sheriff has responded to the shooting death of Sonya Massey.

Much scrutiny has been placed on Campbell, who hired former Deputy Sean P. Grayson in May 2023 despite his two prior DUI convictions. Grayson has been charged by a grand jury with three counts of first-degree murder after shooting Massey in her own home on July 6.

Campbell "has failed to explain how he ended up hiring this deputy sheriff who has (resigned) from other departments," the governor said at an unrelated news conference early Wednesday in Chicago. "He has failed to put forward reforms that clearly need to be made."

In a statement, Pritzker said he was calling for Campbell's resignation "so the Springfield and Sangamon County community can begin to rebuild and restore trust between the citizens and the sheriff's department."

More:Illinois Gov. Pritzker criticizes sheriff for hiring deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey

Pritzker said it was "outrageous" that Campbell had yet to meet with the Massey family in the month since the murder.

The sheriff, who has reiterated his intent to stay on the force, said in a statement that he has tried to meet with the family four times but was rejected each time.

Campbell said he would still like to have a meeting.

"The Sheriff’s Office is willing to modify our hiring practices in order to prevent an incident like this from occurring again. However, before changes can be made, it is important to identify the problem," the sheriff said in the statement.

"We have used a process that we believe was consistent with statewide standards. If these standards are deficient, we would advocate a change at all necessary levels.

"I was overwhelmingly elected to lead the Sheriff’s Office through both good times and bad. I am fully prepared to continue leading my office and serving the residents of Sangamon County through this difficult period, ensuring we learn from this tragedy and work toward a better future."

Campbell also said he believes calls for his resignation are politically motivated.

"We need to unite and heal. The one responsible is in jail and will never work in law enforcement again. Calls for my resignation are nothing more than political maneuvering during a tragic event and only hurt the good citizens of Sangamon County."

Patrick M. Keck can be reached at pkeck@gannett.com, or on X, formerly Twitter, @pkeckreporter.