WGN News employee threw object at Border Patrol agents, Bovino says

WGN News employee detained by federal agents on Chicago's North Side, videos show

Videos show a WGN News employee being detained by federal agents Friday on Chicago's North Side. (Credit: Josh Thomas)

CHICAGO - A WGN News creative services employee was accused of throwing an object at Border Patrol agents before being briefly detained on Friday.

The incident occurred near Lincoln and Foster avenues in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. Multiple videos of the incident were posted on social media.

What we know:

In the videos, the employee identifies herself as Debbie Brockman and mentions that she works for WGN.

In a post on X, Gregory Bovino, commander-at-large of the U.S. Border Patrol, accused the WGN employee of "throwing an object at Border Patrol Agents conducting lawful duties."

He said she will be charged with assault of a federal officer.

"Don’t become a negative news story," Bovino wrote. "Don’t assault ICE or Border Patrol.

The federal agents reportedly rammed their van into Brockman's car before forcing her to the ground and taking her into custody. 

Bovino also said on X that charges were pending.

Brockman was seen being placed into the van before the agents got in and sped away, scraping the side of another vehicle and knocking off part of its bumper.

Some social media users claimed a second person, a man, was also detained, though that has not been confirmed.

FOX 32 Chicago reached out to WGN for comment. The station released the following statement on Friday:

"Earlier today, a WGN-TV creative services employee was detained by ICE.  She has since been released, and no charges were filed against her.  Out of respect for her privacy, we will have no further statements about this incident."

Under Federal law there is a five-year statute of limitations to file assault charges. 

It was unclear if the employee was there in a work capacity or if she was there on personal time.