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Time photographer roughed up by security at Trump event

Longtime Time contract photographer Chris Morris was roughed up by a Secret Service agent at a Donald Trump rally in Virginia on Monday.

According to videos taken of the incident by other reporters and Time, Morris was trying to take pictures of protesters being led out of the rally. A security person approaches Morris, trying to push him back. Morris exchanges words with the agent who then appears to grab Morris by the neck and pulling him down to a table and then the ground. Morris kicks at the agent before others intervene, and Morris was eventually escorted out of the venue.

Secret Service agent choke slams reporter pic.twitter.com/jdsHOlylSB — Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) February 29, 2016

In an interview with CNN's Jim Acosta, Morris said "I stepped 18 inches out of the pen and he grabbed me by the neck and started choking me and slammed me to the ground." Morris added that he won't be pressing charges.

Time Magazine said in a statement they have contact the U.S. Secret Service "to express concerns about the level and nature of the agent’s response" and that "Morris has also expressed remorse for his part in escalating the confrontation."

“We are relieved that Chris is feeling OK, and we expect him to be back at work soon," a spokesperson for the magazine said.

In a statement the Trump campaign said it was a Secret Service agent and directed questions to law enforcement.

"There was an incident involving a photographer and a USSS agent at today’s Radford University Trump rally. We are not aware of all details surrounding the incident and all future inquiries should be directed to local law enforcement," campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in a statement.

A Secret Service spokesperson said the agency is aware of the incident and is investigating.

"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 spokesperson said.

Tensions have run high at previous Trump events, with reporters being restricted to specific "press pens" and at other points, threatening insults directed at reporters from Trump rally attendees.

"Unlike other presidential campaigns, which generally allow reporters and photographers to move around at events, Trump has a strict policy requiring reporters and cameramen to stay inside a gated area, which the candidate often singles out for ridicule during his speeches," Time said in their statement. "The entrance to the penned area is generally monitored by the Secret Service detail, which also screens attendees at his events and personally protects the candidate."

This post has been updated to make clear that the security person was a U.S. Secret Service agent and to include comments from the Secret Service and Time Magazine.