During Donald Trump’s Monday campaign rally at Radford University in Virginia, a law enforcement agent and a photojournalist got in a fight.
The video begins with the photojournalist on the ground, kicking the law enforcement officer, yelling “get off me” while the officer is trying to gain control of the journalist who is resisting. According to reporters on the scene, the officer in question is from the Secret Service. The U.S. Secret Service could not at the time of publication confirm to The Daily Caller that one of their agents was involved in the scuffle.
The officer lets the reporter stand up, and the photographer apparently references a grab to the neck. Upon standing up, the reporter lunges at the officer and grabs his neck/throat area.
The reporter is then apprehended by other officers and lead away.
Secret Service agent choke slams reporter pic.twitter.com/jdsHOlylSB
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
IJ Review reporter Joe Perticone captured video of the events prior to the physical altercation where the Secret Service agent is shown telling the reporter in question to “get in the [press] pen.” The reporter responds, “Fuck you, fuck you.” According to Perticone, after the verbal altercation, “that’s when it got physical.”
Here’s moments prior. The reporter says “f*ck you” — that’s when it got physical pic.twitter.com/h9K2wIbEWQ
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016
Reporter at Trump Rally accuses SS agent of choking him. pic.twitter.com/Q4oigVt3qf
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) February 29, 2016
According to tweets from reporters on location, the reporter in question is Time Magazine photographer Chris Morris and the law enforcement officers involved are from the Secret Service.
Just talked to @time magazine report Chris Morris. He says he was originally arrested but just detained. @ABC13News pic.twitter.com/QknmuAbifG
— Annie Andersen (@Annie_Andersen) February 29, 2016
While being escorted from the building by police, Morris told WSET reporter Annie Andersen, “I said [the Secret Service Agent] choked me so I put my hand on him and that’s when I was arrested.”
The Daily Caller has reached out to the Secret Service and they initially declined to comment about the incident.
This story will be updated when more information is available.
UPDATE:
The Secret Service released the following statement:
“The Secret Service is aware of an incident involving an employee of the Secret Service that occurred earlier today in Radford, VA. At this time, our local field office is working with their law enforcement partners to determine the exact circumstances that led up to this incident. The Secret Service will provide further details as warranted once additional facts surrounding the situation are known.”
The Trump campaign released the following statement:
There was an incident involving a photographer and a USSS agent at today’s Radford University Trump rally,” the statement said. “We are not aware of all the details surrounding the incident and all future inquiries should be directed to local law enforcement.”
A Time Magazine spokesperson said in a statement, “We are relieved that Chris is feeling OK, and we expect him to be back at work soon.”