The McKinley Park Lagoon, 3700 S. Damen Ave. View Full Caption Flickr/ReallyBoring

MCKINLEY PARK — Authorities are investigating the discovery of a man's severed head in the McKinley Park lagoon Friday morning, police said.

Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said the remains include an African-American man's head as well as other body parts.

Around 10 a.m., a private contractor called 911 after finding the remains in the lagoon, 3700 S Damen Ave., according to Officer Kevin Quaid, a Chicago Police spokesman.

The contractor had been conducting a weekly cleaning of the lagoon, according to park officials.

Detectives have launched a death investigation, Quaid said.

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