NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Residents of a San Antonio suburb can breathe a little easier after police said viral photos that appeared to show an alligator lurking in a Texas river were apparently an "unintentional hoax."
"After some investigation this morning, it has been determined that recent social media posts purporting to show an alligator in the Comal/Guadalupe Rivers in New Braunfels are a hoax," the New Braunfels Police Department said in Facebook post Saturday. "A remote-controlled alligator head was used to create photos and videos that you may have seen on Facebook and other social media sites. The hoax was apparently unintentional, but still may have caused some alarm. We hope this eases any fears."
The department's post, which has been shared hundreds of times, received dozens of tongue-in-cheek comments.
"Did the giant antenna sticking out of the [head] give it away Congratulations Sherlock!" one commenter wrote.
"Fake News," another declared.
Others were not amused.
"Not funny at all," one person wrote.