CHICAGO (WLS) -- Human body parts, including the head of an African-American male, were found floating in a lagoon in McKinley Park on the South Side Friday morning, police said.
A contractor discovered the body parts while working in the lagoon at the park at 2210 W. Pershing Road at about 10 a.m., police said. Police closed the lagoon and a large section of the park as they searched for evidence and conducted a death investigation.
Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson confirmed that the remains belonged to an African-American male.
"The head has been identified as an adult, probably African-American, and there's more body parts that have been sent to the Medical Examiner's Office," Johnson said.
The gruesome discovery was made in an area some residents consider peaceful.
"It's a peaceful area, nobody would suspect to put human remains in the pond over there where people fish and stuff too. A lot of people come her to fish and stuff, to picnic, parties and barbecue. It's not really a bad area," said McKinley Park resident Israel Trinidad.
While some said the park is peaceful, others disagree.
"When I walk, I carry mace with me and I am always looking around my shoulder to the left, to the right because you don't know what's going to happen," said McKinley Park resident Jim Hankes.
Man's head found in McKinley Park lagoon
