SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego State University is responding after two young people generated national headlines for their viral "couple Halloween costume" involving offensive overtones and blackface. The costume was first posted by a TikTok user, who purportedly has ties to the university, as part of a slideshow of images from a Halloween party. A screenshot of the original TikTok video then began circulating on other platforms like X, formerly Twitter. The duo's costume apparently depicts Sean "Diddy" Combs and a bottle of baby oil, a reference to the rapper's "freak-offs" — the parties at the center of his federal criminal indictment on allegations of sexual abuse, trafficking and exploitation. Photos show NY Republican in blackface as part of Michael Jackson Halloween costume In a statement Tuesday, a spokesperson for SDSU said neither individuals are confirmed students at the university, but it is "working to confirm additional information, to include the location and the names and affiliations of the individuals involved." The spokesperson also said social media users have incorrectly been identifying one of the people in the photo as the person who originally posted to TikTok, describing it as "harmful" misinformation. However, they expressed gratitude for people raising it to their attention online. "The use of blackface and any actions making light of sexual assault are deeply offensive and have no place in a respectful, caring community," the spokesperson said. "We are deeply concerned about the actions depicted and understand the gravity of how this may impact others, including members of our community." Both costumes drew ire online for minimizing sexual abuse by poking fun at one aspect of the case against Combs and overt racism through blackface, or the darkening of a white person's skin with makeup. Blackface has a long history of demeaning African Americans, dating back to caricatures in minstrel shows of the mid-19th century intended to mock enslaved people, according to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. "P. Diddy is not a Halloween costume," a user on X wrote of the costume. "It's not funny. It's not cute. It's not cool. Don't do it." "Any behavior that stereotypes or seeks to harm people based on race or ethnicity and disregard the severity of sexual assault directly contradicts our shared university values and undermines our efforts in support of inclusion and a sense of belonging for all," the university continued.