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Sturgeon residents are expressing concern and confusion after an officer shot and killed a 15-pound Shih Tzu mix on Sunday.
STURGEON — Residents are expressing concerns about safety and use of force after a Sturgeon Police Department officer shot and killed a 13-pound Shih Tzu mix on Sunday.
In a social media post Monday, the City of Sturgeon shared that a police officer “put down” a blind dog after the officer feared the dog may have had rabies:
“On 5/19/2024 at 1717, the Sturgeon Police Department (“SPD”) received a call out for an injured animal at large. An Officer with SPD arrived and located the animal. The SPD Officer immediately noticed the dog was behaving strangely and displaying signs of possible injuries and/or what the officer perceived to be rabid behavior. The SPD Officer also noticed the animal did not have a collar or tags. The SPD Officer made numerous attempts to capture the dog using the catch pole. Based on the behavior exhibited by the dog, believing the dog to be severely injured or infected with rabies, and as the officer feared being bitten and being infected with rabies, the SPD officer felt that his only option was to put the animal down. It was later learned that the animal’s behavior was because the animal was blind. Unfortunately, the animal’s lack of a collar or tags influenced the SPD Officer’s decision to put the animal down due to his belief that the animal was injured, sick and abandoned.”
There are more than 200 comments on the Facebook post, most expressing concern and confusion as to why the officer discharged a weapon.
Nick Hunter, who owned the dog, shared a video with KOMU 8 News of his interaction with the Sturgeon Police Department officer, identified as Myron Woodson, who shot his dog.
In the video, the officer is heard saying, “I don’t enjoy shooting dogs… I am sorry this happened.” The officer said the dog appeared sick.
Hunter is heard asking, “So you’re putting them [the dog] out of its misery?” The officer then replies, “What am I supposed to do we don’t have freaking animal control?”
The Sturgeon resident who called Boone County Joint Communications to report the missing animal said she sent the following letter to the City of Sturgeon:
Letter sent to City of Sturgeon Part 1
Letter sent to City of Sturgeon Part 2
Letter sent to City of Sturgeon Part 1
Letter sent to City of Sturgeon Part 2
The resident wished to remain anonymous. However, in the letter to the city, the resident makes it clear that they did not believe the dog was a threat to the community.
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In the letter, the resident said, “neighborhood children were in the side yards playing and my family was within close perimeter” when the weapon was fired. The resident said their 17-year-old daughter witnessed the dog get shot by the officer.
Regina Adams-Miller, a Sturgeon resident, said she was concerned that the officer discharged his firearm at all but especially without warning in a resident’s backyard.
“What if we had, you know, kids playing outside?” Adams-Miller said. “It’s scary, I don’t think the community feels very safe with him. And I think I can honestly speak for most of the community, not everyone, but most.”
She said she doesn’t feel safe with the officer in the community.
“If [the officer] is scared of a little blind and deaf, 13-pound dog, or 12-pound dog, what is he going to do, you know, to our community, to our kids?” Adams-Miller said. “You know, we have teenagers that get out of hand and out of control sometimes, what’s he going to do to them?”
KOMU 8 News spoke with multiple Sturgeon residents Tuesday who described the dog as “friendly.” No one indicated that the dog appeared rabid or dangerous.
The city clerk confirmed to KOMU 8 News that the city started receiving multiple complaints about the incident on Monday. However, she was unable to share how many complaints her office has received.
Jennifer Mixson, a friend of Teddy’s owners, started a petition to remove Woodson from service. The petition has received more than 300 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.
The Sturgeon Police Department said they are not commenting about the situation at this time.
To report an error or typo, email news@komu.com.
Residents in Sturgeon have called on the police department to remove the responding officer from service.
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