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Escaped pet lizard mistaken for alligator in Washington
Granite Falls police were investigating an alligator sighting on Friday. Turns out, it was a 4-foot-long pet Tegu named Tazz.
GRANITE FALLS, Wash. — The “Gater of Granite” which turned out to be a pet lizard named “Tazz” was reunited with his family Sunday after being found in a barn around a mile away from home.
The town of Granite Falls in Snohomish County was on high alert Friday afternoon after Granite Falls Police posted a photo of what was believed to be a 10-foot-long alligator a resident saw roaming the area.
When police posted that a gator was seen, people were shocked and the post was shared hundreds of times, with people calling it the “Gator of Granite.” But turns out, it was not an alligator, but a 4-foot-long pet lizard named Tazz who somehow escaped out of Shanna Duncan’s home.
“He recognizes ‘Tazz’ and different noises,” said Duncan on Saturday as she searched the area of Frank Mason Park for Tazz where she said she saw lizard tracks near the water.
She said Tazz is an Argentine White Tegu that escaped their house on Friday afternoon. She said he generally stays inside and that he was still missing Saturday evening.
She found out he escaped after her son Avery saw the post on the Granite Falls Police Department’s Facebook page about an alligator sighting in Granite Falls.
“I thought, that’s weird, because I am the only person I know with a four-foot lizard,” said Duncan.
That’s when she realized Tazz had escaped.
She then started letting people know online it was not an alligator, but her beloved pet lizard, asking people not to harm him.
“He’s very docile. You can hug him, he sleeps with my cat,” said Duncan. “He’s a very beloved pet. We’ve had him for ten years. He’s part of the family.”
She said the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office had been searching for Tazz and that drones were used to search in the area.
“I appreciate everybody so much, just for helping my family find this guy,” said Duncan.
Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
