The City of Sturgeon has agreed to a substantial $500,000 settlement with Nicholas Hunter, the owner of a dog named Teddy, who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2024. The lawsuit filed against the city alleged that Sturgeon failed to properly train and supervise its officers, leading to the avoidable death of the pet.
Intense public outrage erupted on social media after the bodycam video of the incident, captured by the officer, went viral in 2024.
The Incident and The Outrage
The distressing incident began when a neighbor called the police after spotting Teddy roaming alone on a large lawn, hoping the officer could reunite the pet with its owner.
- Bodycam Footage: The video showed the officer attempting to catch the pet but failing. Suddenly, a bullet shot is heard, immediately followed by the animal’s piercing scream. While an initial version of the hard-to-watch video was released with the shooting part edited out, the full version later released fueled widespread public condemnation.
The officer involved, Myron Woodson, claimed he acted based on police policy. In an affidavit, Woodson stated that he shot Teddy because he “believed the dog was seriously injured and suffering” and mistakenly thought it was a stray.
“I followed and complied with the City of Sturgeon Police Department policies related to deadly force, which states that ‘officers may use deadly force to destroy an animal that represents a threat to public safety or as a humanitarian measure where the animal is seriously injured’,” Woodson claimed.
The City of Sturgeon initially defended the officer, maintaining he was within his rights to shoot the dog.
Settlement Details and Legal Team’s Hope
The city’s decision to settle the lawsuit is seen as a concession to the negligence claims. Of the $500,000 total settlement amount:
- Nicholas Hunter (Dog Owner): Will receive $282,500.
- Legal Fees: $217,500 will go to his legal team.
Hunter’s legal team expressed relief that the matter is concluded but stressed that the focus remains on reform.
“Mr. Hunter is relieved this matter is concluded, but nothing can ever bring his Teddy back,” the legal team told the Independent. “Teddy was a good dog who did not deserve this. We hope that other departments will learn from this and train their officers better in the future so events like this don’t happen again.”
Hunter also thanked the Animal Legal Defence Fund (ALDF) for providing a necessary grant to cover the cost of the lawsuit. ALDF Executive Director Chris Green commented that such “horrendous tragedies are completely unnecessary and preventable with simple, adequate training.”