FORT MEADE, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office is conducting a death investigation after a man's body was found in a canal near an alligator.
Deputies say the body was found around 7:30 a.m. Thursday in the water on Mosaic property just off Peeples Road in Fort Meade.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is assisting the sheriff's office in the investigation.
VIDEO: Alligator spotted eating plastic bag in Florida Panhandle
Deputies say the body was pulled from the canal and an alligator has been captured. It's unknown at this time if the alligator is involved in the death.
An autopsy will determine how the man died and how long ago, deputies say. His identity is unknown at this time.
We’re conducting a death investigation on Mosaic property just off Peeples Road, west of Fort Meade (nearest cross street - CR 630). At 7:43 a.m. we rec’d a call in ref to an adult male body found in the water & near a gator. @MyFWC is assisting. More info will be released later pic.twitter.com/R8cYwsAcLi
— Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) June 27, 2019