Immigration agents detain workers at Studio City Hand Car Wash

Immigration agents swarmed the Studio City Hand Car Wash and arrested a handful of people on Friday. 

Witnesses said federal agents arrived in unmarked vehicles and began chasing after anyone at the business. 

"All of a sudden, these cars pulled up and just started pulling people," said one witness, who did not want CBS News Los Angeles sharing his name. "Everybody started screaming. My car is sitting there with towels on it."

One of the customers said he thought there was an active shooter and ran into a nearby closet with five other people. They stayed in there until the agents left. 

"It was honestly the saddest thing I've ever seen," he said. "Like to see grown people, cry and scared — thinking they're going to lose their families like that."

The Department of Homeland Security said agents arrested four undocumented immigrants in a "targeted immigration enforcement operation." DHS said one of the people detained was previously arrested for possessing marijuana for sale. 

Manager Ben Forat said he saw agents taking his employees without presenting a warrant.

"ICE came and took a bunch of employees without even asking them for their identification," Forat said. "The ICE agent threw him on the floor, twisted his arm. The guy is like, 'I have my ID in the locker. I have my ID in my locker.' It was disgraceful."

He added that agents detained employees while they were holding customers' keys, leaving some of the cars stranded at the property. Forat said one of the agents came back to return one of the car keys, while another customer had to wait for someone to bring a spare set. 

Regular customers who knew the workers that agents detained denounced the operation. 

"They work hard," a customer said. "Their children grow up here and they live a better life — that's what the American story is about ... This madness has to stop."