LOS ANGELES >> Actress Taraji P. Henson says her 20-year-old son is transferring to Howard University after being racially profiled by police at the University of Southern California.

The "Empire" star made the comments in the latest issue of Uptown magazine, which features her on the cover.

Henson said her son, Marcel, was stopped by police on the Los Angeles campus "for having his hands in his pockets." She said he now plans to attend her alma mater, the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C.

The chief of USC’s Department of Public Safety said in a statement Tuesday that any allegation of unequal treatment by university officers would trigger an investigation. Chief John Thomas said he was racially profiled as a teenager and was "deeply disturbed" to learn that Henson’s son felt profiled because of his race.

A publicist for Henson asked for privacy for her son Tuesday and said there would be no further comment.