Students arriving at Brandon High School on Monday morning found a deer hanging from their flagpole.
There was no note left or threat associated with the act, Hillsborough County School District officials said. The animal was dead when it was removed from the pole soon after.
Investigators say the four-point buck was shot before it was left hanging on the flagpole.
Junior Kaitlyn Ratliff said the sight was "gross."
"Not something you want to start your day off with: 'Oh, there's a deer on the flagpole,'" she said.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is investigating and will be reviewing surveillance video, officials said.
"We’re going to take this very seriously, try to figure out who did this and hold them accountable," sheriff's office spokesman Larry McKinnon said.
Investigators say it isn't just poor taste - it's also criminal. Whoever hung the deer could face charges of trespassing and waste of wildlife.
Deputies say the school alarm went off around 3 a.m. They are working to determine if that's related to this incident.