Columbus Short Arrested During Album Release Party (VIDEO)

10:40 AM PST: A rep for Columbus Short tells TMZ, "[Short's] arrest was NOT due to an outstanding warrant ... . It appears that this is a citizen's arrest as a result of an issue between Mr. Short and his bail bondsman."

Columbus Short had a few party crashers during his album release celebration Tuesday night ... bounty hunters and sheriffs who were there to arrest him.

Short was picked up in a club at Universal Studios CityWalk in Los Angeles ... just as he was about to do a soundcheck.

It seems Short was arrested because he failed to appear in one of his domestic violence cases and the judge issued a bench warrant.

In the video, Short is arguing with one of the bounty hunters ... saying they freaked him out and he was afraid for his life.

We're told the bounty hunters were there because they'll get a cut of his $500,000 bail. We're told the bounty hunters swooped in because they believed Short was about to flee the county.