New video shows federal agents and armored vehicles in raid of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' LA home
A new video from last month's raid on Sean "Diddy" Combs' Los Angeles home shows armored vehicles and heavily armed agents from Homeland Security Investigations moving in on the estate of the hip-hop mogul, who is now the subject of a human trafficking investigation.
The video of the March 25 LA raid, which is edited and sped up, was shared on Instagram on Tuesday by Combs' ex-girlfriend Misa Hylton, with whom Combs shares a son, Justin Dior Combs, 30.
According to law enforcement sources, two of Combs' sons, Justin and Christian Combs, who are both seen in the new video, were detained during the raid and later released, as is protocol during such searches.
"The over zealous and overtly militarized force used against my sons Justin and Christian is deplorable. If these were the sons of a non-Black celebrity, they would not have been handled with the same aggression," Hylton wrote in the caption of her Instagram post Tuesday. "The attempt to humiliate and terrorize these innocent young BLACK MEN is despicable!"
Richard Frankel, retired FBI Special Agent in Charge and ABC News contributor, shared his take on the new video Wednesday on "Good Morning America."
"When law enforcement, especially federal law enforcement, goes in to execute a search warrant, they've done quite a bit of intelligence gathering prior to doing the entry," said Frankel.
He said although law enforcement actions during the raid may seem excessive, "it may have been exactly what is prescribed in their rules and procedures."
Law enforcement carried out a parallel search at Combs' Miami home on March 25. Law enforcement sources told ABC News they found guns in both locations and seized multiple electronic devices as federal prosecutors in New York work to corroborate allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking against Combs.
"This could be a messy or drawn out or very complex investigation," said Frankel. "They're going to have to go through all this and identify what is real, what is not, and what can be proved."
In the aftermath of the March 25 raids, law enforcement sources told ABC News the searches were carried out as part of a federal sex trafficking investigation into the hip-hop and liquor mogul led by the Southern District of New York.
A Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson said in a statement that the raid was executed as part of an "ongoing investigation."
In November, singer Cassie Ventura settled a lawsuit accusing Combs of sex trafficking and sexual assault. An attorney for Combs issued a statement at the time saying that the decision to settle the lawsuit was not an admission of any wrongdoing.
Four other lawsuits have been filed against Combs, accusing him of allegations including rape, sex trafficking, among other alleged abuses, allegations which he has denied.
No criminal charges have been filed in the investigation.
In a statement released following the raids, Combs' attorney, Aaron Dyer said, "Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities."
"Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way," Dyer continued. "This unprecedented ambush -- paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence -- leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."
ABC News' Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.
