A woman in Illinois was fatally shot by law enforcement last week after she called authorities, fearing an intruder was in her home, according to her family’s attorney.

Sonya Massey, 36, died following an encounter with deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in Springfield early on July 6, according to a news release from Illinois State Police, which is investigating at the request of the sheriff’s office.

State police stated that body camera footage and other information related to the case will not be immediately released to “protect the integrity of the legal process.”

In separate news releases, state police and the sheriff’s office reported that deputies arrived at a home on the 2800 block of Hoover Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. following a 911 call. The sheriff’s office stated that the call was made to report a prowler.

Massey was shot during the incident and was declared dead at a nearby hospital, state police said on Wednesday.

In a statement issued on the day of the shooting, the sheriff’s office mentioned that two deputies searched the area and that at approximately 1:21 a.m. “the Deputies reported that shots had been fired, resulting in a female being struck by gunfire.” No deputies were injured during the incident, the sheriff’s office said.

Neither agency released additional details about what led up to the shooting.

Ben Crump, an attorney for Massey’s family, stated on Thursday that the shooting occurred after Massey called law enforcement because “she thought there was an intruder in her home.”

“It is extremely hard to imagine how a woman who calls the police out of fear of an intruder ends up shot in the head by police at her own home,” Crump said in the statement. “We demand that all body camera footage from this incident be released immediately so that Sonya’s family and the public can see what happened in those thirty deadly minutes. No family should have to endure the pain and suffering that Sonya’s loved ones are experiencing right now.”

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Sangamon County Building on Friday to call for justice, according to local reports. Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, also attended.

Donna Massey was seen mourning in front of the Sangamon County Building in Springfield, Illinois, on Friday as she participated in a protest over the death of her daughter, Sonya Massey. The protest underscored the community's grief and anger, calling for transparency and accountability in the investigation.

A representative for the Illinois State Police declined to comment further on Friday. No one from the county sheriff’s office could immediately be reached for comment.

Sheriff Jack Campbell stated Wednesday afternoon on Facebook that it is “imperative” that the sheriff’s office “protect the integrity of the investigation by waiting for the determination from ISP.”

“My normal procedure is to respond to inquiries and to give public statements regarding major events. And as an elected official, that is always my instinct,” Campbell said in the post. “In this case, it would not be appropriate. I’m asking for the public and the media to be patient as we seek the facts surrounding this tragic event.”

State police indicated that they are working closely with the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office in their investigation. The community and the family of Sonya Massey await further details and clarity on the events that led to this tragic outcome.