Police show bodycam video of kangaroo capture in Fort Lauderdale

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A kangaroo was on the loose in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday morning — in case you thought 2020 couldn’t get any stranger.

Fort Lauderdale police apprehended the runaway roo near 1300 NE 2nd Avenue after a half-hour pursuit that was captured by Sky 10.

“We just tried to corral it and keep it out of traffic,” said Officer Robert Norvis, who was part of the capture. “He’s very friendly. We were able to get a rope around his neck and get him in the back of the car.”

Officers said that when they first got the call they didn’t believe it.

After working to corral the kangaroo, they picked him up and hoisted him into the back of a police car — but not without snapping a few selfies with him.

“I’ve been a police officer for 26 years. I’ve had snake calls and python calls, maybe an alligator, but never heard of a kangaroo around here,” Norvis said.

Police even released bodycam video of the pursuit.

Turns out the kangaroo was living in a home just off of North Andrews Avenue and 15th Street, but he somehow got out and decided to go for a tour of Fort Lauderdale’s streets.

Keeping a kangaroo in your home is illegal in Fort Lauderdale, though it’s not clear what consequences the owner might face. That will be up to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the situation.

After his capture, the kangaroo was hopping around inside the police’s stables on NE 9th Street, where they keep their mounted horses, but the Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has since taken custody of him.

Viewer Doug from Smiley Locksmith sent us the cellphone video below of the kangaroo bouncing around the neighborhood, which comes with commentary appropriate for the situation:

“Yo, that’s so crazy. What? This is South Florida.”

No word yet on when the marsupial will make his first appearance in kangaroo court.