The U.S. Marshals Service has launched an investigation into one of its agents who appears to be captured on video ripping a cell phone from the hands of a bystander who was trying to film him in the street while he responded to gang activity.

The video also seems to show the agent throwing the phone to the ground.

Gawker reported agents with the Marshals Service were investigating some activity of a biker gang near a California home, and a nearby woman started videotaping the scene on her cell phone.

The agent then snatched the phone from the woman’s hands and smashed it to the ground, the video shows.

“We’ve had incidents where people have videotaped us and it requires unbelievable restraint. Typically during times where things can be a little chaotic,” said South gate police Capt. Darren Aerakawa, to the Los Angeles Times. “We really have to convey we’re living in a different environment now where police action is scrutized and a lot of video is surfacing. We simply tell our officers to assume they’re being recorded out in public at all times.” (Read more from “U.S. Marshal Snatches, Smashes Bystander’s Phone” HERE)

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