Man's head found in Chicago park lagoon

CHICAGO -- 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.