The mayor of Sturgeon, Missouri resigns after a police officer shoots a blind, deaf Shih Tzu who escaped his proprietor’s yard.
Following the incident that occurred on Sunday, Could 19, the Metropolis of Sturgeon Missouri’s Fb web page launched an announcement, publicly defending the police officer’s actions.
In keeping with the assertion, the Sturgeon Police Division (SPD) acquired a name about an injured animal at giant.
When the SPD officer, recognized by native information shops as Myron Woodson, arrived on the scene, he seen that the “canine was behaving surprisingly and displaying indicators of attainable accidents and/or what the officer perceived to be rabid conduct.”
“Believing the canine to be severely injured or contaminated with rabies, and because the officer feared being bitten and being contaminated with rabies, the SPD officer felt that his solely possibility was to place the animal down,” the assertion learn.
They then discovered later that the canine, named Teddy, was not injured nor had rabies – it was blind and deaf.
One other assertion was launched as additional protection saying, “The Metropolis believes that the officer acted inside his authority primarily based on the knowledge accessible to him on the time to guard in opposition to attainable damage to residents from what seemed to be an injured, sick, and deserted canine.”
The general public statements led to an enormous public outcry, which led to Sturgeon’s mayor, Kevin Abrahamson, resignation.
The mayor’s departure from workplace was introduced on Saturday, Could 25, on the Metropolis of Sturgeon Missouri’s Fb web page.
Following the mayor’s resignation, Seth Truesdell turns into Sturgeon’s Mayor Professional Tem, or non permanent mayor.
Truesdell launched an announcement saying, “The board of Alderman and myself don’t agree with former Mayor’s statements and weren’t giving any discover earlier than launch.”
“Such as you we had been simply as appalled by what we noticed,” he continued.
At present, officer Woodson is revealed to have been positioned on depart and can stay on depart indefinitely.
Moreover, an on-line petition to take away Woodson from his place has now garnered over 59,000 signatures (as of writing).
The Mayor Professional Tem revealed that he has reached out to the Boone County Sheriff for an investigation.
“I personally give my condolences to the house owners of Teddy. I do know nothing I do now or sooner or later will carry Teddy again,” Truesdell wrote.
Speaking to KOMU, Abbey Harnish, Teddy’s proprietor, revealed that the canine, “couldn’t hear, like after we would name to him.”
She additional defined, “He had somewhat little bit of a tremor together with his head. So each time he would stroll with a wobbly head, that’s simply a part of his neurological issues.”
Harnish additionally reveals that Teddy was being taken care of her ex-partner, Nick Hunter, when the unlucky incident occurred.
The Impartial stories that Hunter is suing town and Woodson for compensation in extra of $1 million for violation of his rights below the 4th Modification.
Within the grievance, Hunter alleges that town didn’t correctly practice, supervise, and self-discipline its officers who used pointless deadly drive on a small, innocent canine, who’s deaf and blind, no much less.
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, Could 28, on the US District Courtroom for the Western District of Missouri and is partially funded by the Animal Authorized Protection Fund (ALDF).
You’ll be able to watch the bodycam video right here:
(WARNING! Some viewers could discover the contents of this video disturbing. Viewer discretion is suggested.)