(CALIFORNIA) — Federal authorities took a man and woman into custody after investigators say the pair trapped a federal agent inside their vehicle during an ICE-related operation in Southern California and drove him to a local police station.

Authorities are characterizing the episode as an attempted kidnapping of a federal officer, a serious allegation that can place an incident squarely in federal jurisdiction and trigger a fast-moving investigation involving multiple agencies.

The incident, reported as unfolding during an effort to arrest the couple on an immigration-related matter, has drawn attention because it involves a federal agent allegedly restrained and transported against his will during an enforcement operation.

Accounts published so far describe ice agents approaching the couple during an attempted immigration arrest and, during the encounter, a federal agent ending up inside the couple’s vehicle.

Investigators allege the couple then locked the doors and refused to let at least one agent out, holding him in the car against his will as the situation escalated.

Authorities say the vehicle was driven to a local police station, where the agent was released and the encounter ended with law enforcement taking the couple into federal custody.

Early reporting has described kidnapping or attempted kidnapping of a federal officer as a central theory being pursued or considered, with possible additional allegations generally associated with such incidents, including interference with federal agents.

Charging decisions in cases like this often turn on what prosecutors allege about how the encounter began, whether the agent was restrained, and what intent they claim can be inferred from the restraint and transport.

The reported timing was Wednesday morning, during an ICE operation in Southern California, but public accounts have not consistently identified the city or the police station involved.

Those geographic details can matter because they help determine which federal court would typically handle initial proceedings and which agencies may take the lead on investigative steps.

Publicly available accounts have not identified the couple by name, and no ages or immigration status have been confirmed in the information circulating so far.

Open questions also remain about how the agent entered the vehicle, whether any injuries were sustained, whether video exists from body-worn cameras or other sources, and which agencies responded at the station.

One account said the agent was not reported to have suffered serious physical injury, while also describing the U.S. Attorney’s Office as treating the restraint and transport as a serious felony.

As the case develops, a charging document such as a criminal complaint or indictment would be expected to clarify the alleged statutes, identify the defendants, and lay out a narrative of what investigators say happened, along with the basis for federal jurisdiction.

Federal court milestones that often follow an arrest include an initial appearance, decisions about detention, and an arraignment, while statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ICE or its investigative components, and the local police jurisdiction could confirm key details and resolve conflicting early accounts.