SUGAR LAND, Texas – Residents are worried about a gator in a Sugar Land lake -- not because of the dangers of the reptile itself, but because of what someone did to it.
The gator is in Pumpkin Lake, which backs up to Cullinan Park, and neighbors said they've seen it swimming around with a knife poking out of its head.
Neighbors said their concerns are growing.
"I love animals, especially our gators around here," Erin Weaver said.
Weaver said she saw the alligator with the knife in its head around 6 a.m. Thursday while it was perched atop some rocks. The knife appears to be near the gator's eye, and Weaver is worried for its health.
Weaver said she walks around the lake every morning and is well aware that gators share the space with humans.
She said her concern spiked when she noticed the knife.
"He kind of turned and came right towards me and he swam right over there, right along the rock here, and he sat here and there was actually a knife, it looked like a steak knife, sticking out of his head," she said.
Weaver said she took a photo and posted it to the Orchard Lakes Estates neighborhood Facebook page. That's when she found out she wasn't the only one who saw the gator in that state. Someone else had posted a photo Wednesday night.
"I just felt so bad for him. I can't believe someone would be that cruel to do that to one of our alligators in our community," Weaver said.
Other neighbors echoed her sentiment.
"Horrified that someone would ever do anything like that to an animal, there's no cause for it," Jennifer Griffin said.
Griffin said the gators keep to themselves and she doesn't understand why someone would stab it with a knife.
"I wanted to help him, but you know he is a wild animal, (with) me by myself, I didn't want to do anything," Griffin said.
It's the reason the community is asking for help.
The Fort Bend County Game Warden's Office said they searched for the gator on Friday but were unable to find it. Officials said they think the knife may have fallen out of its head, but are going to continue searching.
A reward of $1,000 was announced Monday.