Body pulled from Lady Bird Lake

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A body was pulled from Lady Bird Lake around 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

Employees of Zilker Park Boat Rentals called police after two medical students who were rowing by saw the body and flagged them down for help.

"Other people went by it and thought it was a mannequin," said  Jessica Douglas, a worker at the boat rental company  who made the 911 call.

The body was submerged in about eight feet of water.  While signs warn that swimming is not allowed in the area, Douglas told KXAN people do swim in the creek.

Police did rope the area off with crime scene tape for two hours and it was an Austin fire crew that pulled the body from the water with paddles.

"It was badly decomposed," said Nathan Blonde, 13, who was riding his bike in the area.  "He had a blue shirt on,"

Police would only tell KXAN the body was that of a white male.  It could not be determined if the man was the victim of a crime or had drowned.

"We will know more once there is an autopsy," said Cpl. Anthony Hippolito with the Austin Police Department.

Homicide investigators as well as a forensic team descended on the area and took pictures. Hippolito told KXAN this is protocol for when a body is found.

The man's body was removed from the area at 4 p.m.

Boat rental workers shutdown their stand shortly after.

"Austin didn't need another crime or death,"Douglas added.

Police did note that homeless people often hang out in the area and sometimes sleep on the banks.  It could not be determined, however, if the man was homeless.

Anyone with any information or who saw anything is urged to contact APD at 477-3588.