A neighbor called police to help a lost, blind and deaf dog. The officer who arrived shot him dead. On May 19, 2024, Teddy, a 13-pound Shih Tzu mix, escaped his fenced yard in Sturgeon, Missouri, and wandered into a neighbor’s backyard. She called police to help locate his owner because the department also handled animal control. Officer Myron Woodson spent about three minutes trying to catch Teddy with a snare pole. Then he shot him at close range. The encounter was recorded on his body camera. The footage showed the small dog posing no threat. The city initially defended Woodson, claiming he believed Teddy might be injured or rabid. The backlash led to Mayor Kevin Abrahamson’s resignation. Woodson was suspended and eventually left the department. The turmoil also contributed to the city shutting down its police department and contracting with the county sheriff for policing. Teddy’s owner, Nicholas Hunter, filed a federal lawsuit seeking more than $1 million. His lawyers argued that the city had never trained Woodson to use the catch pole or properly handle animal-control calls. In November 2025, the case ended in a $500,000 settlement. Hunter would receive $282,500, with $217,500 going to his lawyers. Insurance covered the payout, leaving the city responsible for a $1,000 deductible. Hunter’s legal team said he was relieved the case was over, but “nothing can ever bring his Teddy back.”