CHICAGO (Gray News) – You’ll never believe what shoppers at an Aldi store in Chicago witnessed Monday morning.
A viral video from inside the store shows two police officers struggling to pull something out of the refrigerated section as shoppers watch with curiosity.
Then – shockingly – an officer pulls out an adult coyote from the refrigerator by its tail.
Unfortunately, though the officer got the animal out, the terrified coyote is seen jumping right back into the fridge.
The incident happened at the Aldi supermarket in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Officials said workers with Chicago Animal Control and Care then responded to the store and were able to capture the coyote.
The agency told WMAQ that the coyote would be transferred to Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation.
“The coyote appears uninjured, but Flint Creek will conduct an assessment to confirm its health before releasing it back into the wild if deemed appropriate,” animal control officials said.
A witness told WLS that the coyote had been lurking around the Aldi parking lot before finding its way inside the store and hiding in the fridge.
The video of the incident was originally posted on X, with the creator writing, “I was prepared to see him pull out a opossum or a raccoon. Did NOT expect that.”
Later in the day, Chicago Animal Care and Control shared a Facebook post warning the public that it’s coyote mating season.
“January through March is coyote mating season, which means increased activity in urban areas, including Chicago. During this time, coyotes are more active and may be seen more frequently, even during daylight hours,” the agency said.
Although coyotes are “typically shy and avoid humans,” the agency advised taking precautions to avoid attracting coyotes with food or trash, and to keep pets leashed and supervised.
Copyright 2025 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. TMX contributed to this report.