Australian Reporter Shot By Rubber Bullet While Covering Los Angeles Protests
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Nine News, in a statement, said that both Lauren Tomasi and her camera operator are safe and will continue their essential work covering these events.
An Australian Nine News reporter, Lauren Tomasi, was hit by a rubber bullet while covering Sunday's Los Angeles riots. She was struck in the leg, and the moment was captured on camera.
A police officer is seen on video footage aiming at Lauren Tomasi and her camera operator before shooting. Tomasi can be heard screaming in pain, clutching her calf, as a bystander angrily shouts, 'You just shot the f—— reporter!"
Australian journalist shot by U.S. police—caught on live camera. Yet, the West DS funded propaganda dares to lecture India on press freedom, citing biased, Western-funded 'indexes." pic.twitter.com/aMX0802E4w — Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) June 9, 2025
Despite being struck by the rubber bullet, Tomasi quickly reassured a bystander, saying, 'I'm good," as she and her cameraman moved to safety.
Although Lauren Tomasi hasn't issued a formal statement about the incident, she did post an update on the ongoing protests in Los Angeles. '8 pm. Dozens of police have just moved in. Another attempt to move people on. Flash bang grenades – then fireworks – going off," she said on X.
Meanwhile, Nine News, in a statement, said that both Lauren Tomasi and her camera operator are safe and will continue their essential work covering these events.
'This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the frontlines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information," the network said on Monday, according to a report by The Guardian.
The LAPD declared the entire Downtown Los Angeles area an 'unlawful assembly." 'You are to leave the Downtown area immediately," police said in a post on X.
Later, Trump ordered the immediate arrest of protestors wearing masks, as security force officials patrolled the streets on horseback and guarded federal facilities in riot gear.
The declaration followed two days of clashes, where federal agents used flash-bang grenades and tear gas against crowds protesting the arrest of dozens of migrants in a city with a sizable Latino population.
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 14:30 IST
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