Customs and Border Protection agents detained a handful of people outside of a Los Angeles Home Depot on Monday. 

The immigration operation took place in the Cypress Park neighborhood along San Fernando Road. Witness Diamond Cruz said agents arrived in several vans and grabbed people she'd been sitting with. 

"They rolled up, snuck up behind them and chased them," Cruz said. "Just grabbed whoever they can; grabbed two of my friends who were just sitting right here."

Agents also went into a nearby homeless encampment and chased after people when they tried to get away, according to witnesses. One man said he saw people running into a job center in the parking lot of the hardware store to hide from immigration agents. 

Witnesses said the federal agents detained at least six people, including a taco vendor, day laborers and a man protesting against ICE. Activists tried to gather names and birthdates of the detainees before they were placed in the agents' vehicles. Chloe, one of the activists, said she rushed to the Home Depot to try to help as many people as she could or protest when she heard about the operation.

"I've been volunteering to help bring food to people and trying to respond if there is something nearby the community," she said. "It feels wrong not to be there because it could happen to anybody."

Home Depot issued a statement about the immigration operation. 

"We aren't notified that ICE activities are going to happen, and in many cases, we don't know that arrests have taken place until after they're over," the company wrote. "We're required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate."

CBS News Los Angeles reached out to the CBP. It has not responded as of Monday afternoon.