Video has captured the moment a police officer in Illinois, US, shot and killed a black woman who called authorities asking for help against a possible attacker.

Sean Grayson, 30, fired three shots, hitting Sonya Massey once in the face as she ducked for cover in the kitchen.

Massey, a mother of two teenagers, called police about a suspected intruder at her Springfield home.

Two police officers arrived at the woman’s home and searched the area, finding nothing suspicious.

The police knocked on the door and asked the woman if she needed any help. She became nervous and the questioning continued inside the house.

The conversation continued in a relaxed atmosphere until the policeman asked him to remove the pot of hot water from the stove.

At some point during the conversation, the police officer demanded that she pour out the water, but the woman became nervous and apologized.

The policeman pulled out a gun and shot him three times. He later said he felt threatened by the woman who poured hot water on him.

A grand jury indicted Grayson, who is white, on charges of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated assault and one count of official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty.