Alligator spotted with body in mouth killed by FWC

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - Florida Fish and Wildlife officials killed an alligator they believe was seen with a human body in its mouth Tuesday afternoon.

Police said the body was pulled from Lake Hunter after a 911 caller reported seeing an alligator with a body in its mouth.

Investigators pulled the body from the water just before 3 p.m. Tuesday. They said the victim is a male, but they had not identified him. They said the body appeared to have been in the water for at least a day.

It wasn't known if the alligator killed the person or simply found the dead body. Police spokesman Sgt. Gary Gross said a medical examiner would have to determine the cause of death

Police said officers got calls on June 4 and 5 about acitivity at the lake which could be related to the body found Tuesday.

Lakeland PD said a citizen called the morning of June 4 abouto finding a shirt in the water with pair of pants and backpack near the Lake Hunter Boar Ramp, 650 Sikes Blvd. The person did not want to identify him or herself at the time, but reported there had been an aggressive alligator by the boat ramp during the week.

Six Lakeland PD officers went to check the surrounding area, but did not find anyone in the water or see an alligator nearby.

The next evening, Lakeland Police Department got a call from someone who said they saw "something large" floating in Lake Hunter with an alligator circling it. Responding officers checked the surrounding lake area, but were unable to find anything.