A woman was detained in a parking lot on USC’s fraternity row Thursday afternoon by officers who appeared to be with the U.S. Marshals Service.
At least four agents wearing vests — who identified themselves as U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and police — placed the zip-tied woman into an unmarked black Ford. An agent on the scene told a reporter the woman had allegedly “kidnapped” her children, and said there was a warrant out for her arrest.
The agents told Annenberg Media reporters that they were not with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They did not identify themselves or name the woman.
The detained woman shouted to a crowd of witnesses that she had not kidnapped her kids, journalists observed. The woman made an accusation of child molestation against her husband, whom she named and said is a police officer in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania Child Protective Services said there were “no open kidnapping cases” under the husband’s last name. Annenberg Media could not independently confirm the arrest warrant, her identity or why she was near the USC campus.
The woman’s arrest drew in a crowd of observers, many of whom said they were curious after hearing rumours of ICE presence by campus.
A spokesperson with LAPD said no units were on site, but USC Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief David Carlisle said LAPD was assisting the Marshals. No DPS officers assisted in the operation, Carlisle said, but agents were later present at the scene.
The detainment happened behind Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT), a non-affiliated USC fraternity situated less than a half mile away from USC’s University Park campus (UPC).
Ella Von Thaden, a sophomore who witnessed the situation, said she saw young children with the agents, but it was not certain if they were related to the detained woman.
Journalists witnessed agents searching a car that appeared to belong to the woman.
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s office and the Philadelphia Police Department could not be reached for comment.
The U.S. Marshals Service told Annenberg Media it could not confirm or deny the activity of their officers, and that a public information officer was not available to speak. The Department of Justice told Annenberg Media it “had no idea” about the arrest.
The California Child Protective Services Department would not confirm any details.