LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Police were investigating an unauthorized video shoot Monday at a church in East Hollywood.

Officers responded to an officer needs help call in the 1100 block of Commonwealth Avenue and found what appeared to be men armed with rifles near the Guardian Angel Catholic Church, according to police.

Investigators later determined the scene was an unpermitted video shoot, CBSLA’s Stu Mundel reported.

East Hollywood LAPD OFFICER NEEDS HELP CALL! When arriving at 1100 n commonwealth officers see men with assault rifles around a church!!! Huge PD backup response. Turns out it is an un permitted video shoot. @KCBSKCALDesk pic.twitter.com/BaLCPleYL0 — stu mundel (@Stu_Mundel) October 29, 2018

LAPD Lt. Keith Green said police responded to the reports of weapons spotted in the area out of an abundance of caution.

“Officers see these rifles and we’re thinking it’s the real deal,” he said. “Based upon everything that’s occurred in the nation over the last week, we’re gonna take precautionary measures and treat this as though this is the actual, real situation.”

A participant in the video shoot told CBSLA’s Tom Wait the weapons seen at the location were plastic.

“There was a camera clearly in view, I don’t know why they did this,” a man who identified himself as “41-X” said. “This was unnecessary and just a waste of time.”

“Everything that they’re using, to my knowledge, is all props. They’re really good guys, they don’t have any criminal backgrounds or anything like that,” producer Peter Madana told CBS2 News.

Two people, including the director, were arrested. No one associated with the church wanted to speak to CBS2 about the incident.