Mel Gibson Inquiry: Police Look into Alleged Domestic Violence Incident

LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) On Thursday, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department named Mel Gibson as a possible suspect in a domestic violence investigation involving his former girlfriend Oskana Grigorieva.

Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said Grigorieva has been the only person questioned thus far in the case.

Details and potential evidence regarding the domestic violence investigation are confidential at this point in the case.

According to the Sheriff's Department, the alleged attack occurred on Jan. 6.

"We're in the process of verifying, verifying, verifying," said Whitmore. "All the allegations that have been put forth will be thoroughly investigated."

A source told RadarOnline.com that Gibson punched Grigorieva, resulting in injuries to her.

It may be months before the inquiry is resolved and the information is turned over to the district attorney's office, which will determine whether to pursue charges.

A phone message left for Alan Nierob, Gibson's spokesman, was not immediately returned.

Gibson, 54, and Grigorieva, 40, separated in April, and since, both have reportedly filed restraining orders against one another. At the time of the break-up, both talked of co-parenting and described the split as amicable, but the ex-couple are now in the middle of a custody dispute over their infant daughter, Lucia.

Court proceedings in the custody battle over the ex-couple's 8-month-old daughter have been conducted in a closed session.

The sheriff's substation conducting the domestic violence investigation is the same one that handled Gibson's arrest on suspicion of drunk driving in 2006. Gibson claimed he struggled with alcoholism throughout adulthood and apologized for making sexist and anti-Semitic comments during his arrest.

Neither Gibson nor Grigorieva have commented about the domestic violence case.