Rapper Kanye West was arrested on Thursday morning at Los Angeles International Airport after allegedly damaging a photographer's camera, police said.

"Mr West was arrested at 7:51 am outside the passenger screening area by airport police on charges of vandalism," LAX spokesman Marshall Lowe told People magazine. "Initial reports say this incident involved a paparazzo and a camera valued at more than 10,000 dollars."

"In addition, Mr West's bodyguard was arrested for vandalism and battery," Lowe said. "Several witnesses are being interviewed by police. West and his bodyguard are being transported to an LAPD station where they're expected to be booked."

Celebrity website TMZ.com quoted its video cameraman who witnessed the scene as saying that West, 31, "rushed the photog and grabbed his camera...threw it to the ground, breaking it into pieces."

The TMZ.com cameraman, who was taping the events, says he was then approached by the bodyguard, who "grabbed [his] camera, ripped off the mic and viewfinder and smashed it to the ground."