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Photojournalist Chris Morris is escorted by police during the Feb. 29 Donald Trump rally in Radford, Virginia. | AP Photo Probe into Secret Service-photographer altercation at Trump rally

The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is investigating an incident last week in which a Secret Service agent apparently body-slammed a Time magazine photographer during a Donald Trump campaign rally in southwest Virginia, a spokesman for the DHS watchdog said Monday.

Several videos made Feb. 29 at Radford University show what appears to be a tense exchange between Time photographer Chris Morris and the as-yet unidentified Secret Service staffer, followed by the agent grabbing Morris by the neck and slamming him into a table and onto the floor. Once on the floor, Morris kicks at the security man and later grabs his neck in what appears to be a re-enactment of the initial incident.

The Secret Service has its own Office of Inspection, which reviews allegations of misconduct. However, the DHS inspector general’s office has the right to step in and conduct its own inquiry. In the case of the Radford altercation, DHS’ inspector general is exercising that right, spokesman Arlen Morales said Monday afternoon.

“We do have an independent investigation regarding that incident,” Morales said.

The IG’s office is endeavoring to complete its inquiry on a “short turnaround,” he said, adding that the results would likely be summarized in a management advisory, rather than a full-scale investigative report.

Secret Service spokesman Kevin Dye had no comment on the OIG inquiry but referred to a statement last Wednesday that disclosed what appears to be a Secret Service review of the same episode.

“The matter involving an encounter between a member of the Secret Service and a member of the media is under review and we therefore cannot comment further,” the statement said.

Time issued a statement after the event saying Morris regretted escalating the encounter but that the “level and nature” of the Secret Service person’s response was excessive.

