Anti-Trump protester fears he may go blind after police opened fire with rubber bullets at rally
An anti-Trump protestor fears he will be left partially blind after he was shot in the eye by Los Angeles police during a rally.
Marshall Woodruff was hit by a rubber bullet fired by cops as he attended a 'No Kings' demonstration in the California city on Saturday.
He was among thousands of protesters who filled the streets to demonstrate against Donald Trump in an event timed to coincide with the president's military parade.
He said the rally began peacefully, but descended into chaos in the afternoon when bricks and bottles were thrown at officers, which sparked a furious response from law enforcement.
'They just started opening fire on us, just spraying an obscene amount of rubber bullets just everywhere,' Woodruff told ABC7.
He said one of the rubber bullets fractured his cheek and 'tore part of my eye open', with images from the protest showing blood seeping down his cheek.
'I had to go into surgery for about four hours or five hours to get it repaired that night,' he said. 'It's questionable how much vision I'm going to be able to get back or how much I'm going to be able to see out of my right eye.
'Right now, it's just a giant question mark.'
Woodruff said he was left stunned by the impact of the rubber bullet, but was helped to safety by another protestor who took him to authorities as the rally turned violent.
LAPD officers raced Woodruff to an ambulance that took him to a hospital, where paramedics worked on the protestor for hours in hopes of saving his vision.
According to police, the demonstration turned ugly when protesters threw bricks at officers and assaulted horse-mounted cops.
The scenes led the LAPD to declare an unlawful assembly and break up the protest, but not before several officers were injured.
But Woodruff's friends Jazz Edgar and Gavin Prophet, who set up a GoFundMe for him, told ABC7 that the rally escalated into violence when police moved in.
'I think everyone that's out there was peacefully protesting. And I know that there's bad apples in any situations, but I don't think the force that was used to repel the peaceful protesting was justified at all,' Prophet said.
'America is being divided right now, and I believe we have to stand together, no matter what side you are on,' Edgar added.
'We have to support one another regardless of ethnicity, race, or political affiliation, because love is the only way.'
Disputes over the violence at Saturday's No Kings rallies across the country were ignited when embattled LA Mayor Karen Bass said they were 'peaceful', despite dozens of injuries nationwide.
Rowdy scenes were captured across big cities across America, including Portland, Salt Lake City, New York, Denver and Los Angeles as 2,000 protests took over with more than five million in attendance nationwide.
One 39-year-old man was also shot during the protests in Salt Lake City, Utah, and died from his injuries in hospital on Sunday, police confirmed.
The protests fell on the same day as the assassinations of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, with the suspect in the slayings found to have 'No Kings' flyers in his car.
There were a total of 15 separate 'No Kings' demonstrations across LA Saturday - and Bass said she had the luxury of riding in a helicopter to hover over each location.
'Sometimes people who aren't even a part of the main protest hang around, and then that's when you can have trouble,' the Democrat told KTLA5.
'I think that is happening off and on right now, but I do think at the end of the day, this will have been a successful, peaceful day.
'Every single one was peaceful … the Downtown one, which was a massive protest, was still overwhelmingly peaceful. I think oftentimes when you have a crowd this large, at the end, it becomes a little more difficult,' she added.
Bass was berated on social media after saying that the protests in her city were peaceful, while also being slammed for her narrow-minded approach when so many other cities across the country were experiencing civil unrest on Saturday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
21 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Target: Iran. US forces are ready to deliver the second heaviest bunker buster ever made
The US armed forces have made various significant moves in recent days and months, clearly in preparation for strikes on Iran. First, in March, B-2 Stealth bombers were deployed to Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean – a good base for operations against Iran. The B-2s cost more than a billion dollars each and the US only has 19 of them (21 were built but two have been wrecked in accidents): they are only used for the most important operations. In this case, however, the B-2s were probably not deployed because of their stealth technology. The Israelis alone appear to have suppressed Iranian air defences to the degree that they can operate more or less at will in Iran's airspace, mostly not using stealthy aircraft. The US would clearly be able to do this too. The significant thing about the B-2 for this mission is that it's the only aircraft operationally certified to carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the MOP – America's most powerful deep penetration bunker buster. The MOP is so large and weighty (6m long and over 14 tonnes) that only heavy bombers like the B-2 can carry it. In the Western world, only the US has heavy bombers. This is the reason that only the US has such weapons. Israel could easily build a MOP, but it could not easily obtain an aircraft capable of dropping it. The reason that a MOP is relatively easily built is that it is fairly unsophisticated. A MOP is mostly just a sharpened rod of solid hardened steel: only two-and-a-bit tonnes of its mass is explosive charge. Dropped from high in the stratosphere, it hits the ground going at many times the speed of sound and penetrates to great depths before exploding – exactly how deep is a secret but the figure of 60m is often mentioned. This might or might not be sufficient to reach the very deepest parts of the underground Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz, and the Iranians are believed to be tunnelling even deeper, so there is some pressure on Trump – especially from the Israelis – to use the MOP while it is still effective. Some would see the MOP as a historical anomaly. It was developed in the noughties, but such weapons were last used for real in WWII. The British 5-tonne 'Tallboy' and 10-tonne 'Grand Slam' penetrators – designed by Barnes Wallis of Dambusters bouncing-bomb fame, and referred to as 'earthquake bombs' – were used against various hard targets such as U-boat pens. An even more monstrous weapon, the 20-tonne American T-12, arrived too late to see war service. The T-12 remains the largest ever weapon of this type, relegating today's MOP to second place. The MOP, however, benefits from modern smartbomb guidance technology, meaning that it is much more accurate than the various 1940s bunker busters. Now we're seeing more moves indicating that US action may be imminent. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and her strike group are on their way into the Indian Ocean: the USS Carl Vinson and her group are already in the Red Sea. On Monday, a large formation of more than 20 air-to-air tanker planes was seen departing the US eastern seaboard on flight trackers: such a deployment would be likely if major air operations were expected. And of course, President Trump has now left the G7 summit early after spending just a day in Canada, stating that Tehran should be evacuated and that he's seeking an outcome 'better than a ceasefire'. 'They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal,' Trump told reporters. 'So I don't know. I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate.' Since then he and others in his camp including Vice President J D Vance have appeared to prepare their supporters for the idea of American intervention. All the military pieces are now in place. It's looking likelier and likelier that the MOP is about to see its first operational use.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bryan Kohberger murder trial in limbo with Idaho judge facing two critical decisions that could upend case
The trial against Bryan Kohberger is currently in limbo as an Idaho judge is set to hand down critical decisions that could upend proceedings and impact the defense's strategy to try to save him from the firing squad. Two critical hearings are being held in Ada County courthouse Wednesday - to determine whether to grant a last-minute delay to the trial and whether the accused killer can argue an alternate suspect is the real killer. Judge Steven Hippler's rulings on the matters will drastically shape the trial for the man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students in a crime that struck terror into the college town of Moscow and horrified the nation. It is not clear if the judge will rule on the two matters Wednesday or at a later date. Kohberger is accused of killing Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen in a stabbing rampage inside an off-campus student home on November 13, 2022. Two other roommates were inside the home at the time of the attack and called 911 after finding one of their friend's bodies hours later. The motive for the murders remains a mystery and the suspect has no known connection to any of the victims. Now, following more than two years of legal wrangling, delays and the trial being moved to another county, opening statements in the trial are slated to begin August 11. But, in an 11th-hour move less than two months before the trial finally gets underway, Kohberger's defense is now asking the judge for a delay. In its argument, the defense cited a recent Dateline episode that revealed bombshell new details and suggested there had been an evidence leak in the case. The defense also argued the team needs more time to effectively prepare for trial and investigate Kohberger's 'life story' ahead of the potential penalty phase. If convicted, Kohberger faces the death penalty. Under state law, this means he could be sent to the firing squad. Prosecutors, meanwhile, are fighting back against the request to delay the trial, furiously responding: 'It is time to try this case.' In a court filing last week, prosecutor Bill Thompson rubbished claims a delay would make it easier to seat an impartial jury and blasted the defense for going down 'every rabbit hole.' 'Defendant's Motion amounts to a request for a perpetual continuance so that his counsel can go down every rabbit-hole until Defendant - rather than the Court - deems himself ready for trial,' prosecutors said. The state argued that Kohberger's team has had plenty of time to prepare for the trial - coming more than two years after his arrest on December 30 2022 and indictment in May 2023. While acknowledging the Dateline episode does pose 'challenges' to the trial, the prosecution described the defense's motion as 'misplaced' and argued a delay would 'only allow more opportunities for pretrial publicity' in the high-profile case. Some of the victims' families have also condemned the prospect of yet another delay - having already waited more than two years since their loved ones were murdered to get their day in court. 'I pray with all my heart that the trial does not get delayed. My head is spinning that it's even a possibility!' the Goncalves family wrote on their Facebook page. The Dateline episode at the heart of the fight for a delay revealed explosive new details about the case, including the suspected killer's phone records, porn choices and online searches for Ted Bundy. It also aired never-before-seen surveillance footage of a suspect vehicle fleeing the crime scene moments after the murders. Its release of never-before-seen evidence rattled proceedings with the judge saying it showed someone close to the case had 'likely' violated a gag order that has been in place since the early days. Judge Hippler launched an investigation into the leak and ordered both sides to preserve and hand over records, vowing to root out the source of the leak. New court records show that Kohberger's defense is now asking for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate the apparent leak. Prosecutors have responded to this request but the records remain under seal. The defense and the prosecution will go head-to-head presenting arguments for and against the delay in Wednesday's hearing, scheduled for 12.30pm local time. If the judge grants the delay, the trial could be postponed indefinitely. While that hearing is open to the public, a second hearing on the matter of alternate suspects will be held behind closed doors - keeping the identity of this suspect or suspects a closely guarded secret. Kohberger's team announced in May that they had identified an individual they allege could be the real killer. The lead was found among a trove of tips collected by law enforcement during the original investigation, Kohberger's lead attorney Anne Taylor said. The name of that individual or individuals and what evidence the defense has that could tie them to the brutal murders remains a mystery with all filings related to the matter sealed. It is likely that these explosive claims will only come to light at trial. But, if the judge blocks the defense from presenting this argument to jurors, it's a theory that may never be revealed. The defense has handed over evidence to support the claims, and the prosecution has since filed a response. In the sealed hearing Wednesday, the judge will hear arguments from both sides. Based on comments during the hearing in May, Judge Hippler appears skeptical that the defense has enough evidence to make this argument admissible at trial, telling the defense he needed to see more 'than just allegations.' Experts told the Daily Mail that it could have a 'significant impact' on the outcome of the trial if jurors hear testimony pointing to another potential suspect. 'Ultimately, the jury has to be unanimous… if you convince just one juror that there is a reasonable alternative suspect, he walks,' criminal defense attorney David Seltzer said. He believes the idea could provide a powerful story to counter the more technical prosecution case based on DNA evidence and data. 'The state's problem is it's a DNA trial, and DNA trials are boring. They're not engaging because people don't understand the science of DNA,' he said. For a jury, the idea of an alternate suspect 'is something you can hold on to, that here's somebody else who did the crime,' Seltzer added. Kohberger was connected to the murders after his DNA was found on a Ka-Bar leather knife sheath found next to Mogen's body at the scene. Prosecutors also found cellphone records placing him outside the student home multiple times prior to the murders, as well as surveillance footage showing a vehicle matching his white Hyundai Elantra speeding away from the crime scene. One of the surviving roommates - Dylan Mortensen - also saw a masked white man, dressed in all black and with 'bushy eyebrows' inside the home that fateful night. She is expected to be a star witness in the trial. It has now emerged that the DoorDash driver who delivered food to Kernodle minutes before the murders also told police she 'saw Bryan' outside the house that night. The unidentified 44-year-old woman is also expecting to testify at the trial, she told police during a traffic stop in Pullman, Washington, last year. Jury selection is slated to begin in late July or early August, with the trial getting underway August 11. Kohberger stood silent at his arraignment, with a judge entering a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Rush hour chaos as man is STABBED at Grand Central station in front of horrified commuters
Two men were stabbed at New York City 's Grand Central Station during rush hour Wednesday morning. Officers responded to reports of a stabbing in the Mezzanine area of the bustling transit hub at approximately 7.20am, the NYPD told Upon arrival, police found a 28-year-old male victim who had been stabbed in the abdomen by an unidentified individual. A 32-year-old male victim had also been stabbed in the abdomen and buttocks by the same attacker. Police said the suspect fled the train station in an unknown direction, and no arrest has been made as the search continues. The victims were transported to NYC Health and Hospitals / Bellevue in stable condition. This is a developing story...
