8 hours ago
Australian TV Reporter Struck by Rubber Bullet on Live Video in LA
An Australian TV reporter was struck by a rubber bullet while doing a live video report in Los Angeles on June 8.
The reporter, 9News Australia's U.S. correspondent Lauren Tomasi, was reporting on the anti-ICE unrest that has erupted in L.A.
"U.S. Correspondent Lauren Tomasi has been caught in the crossfire as the LAPD fired rubber bullets at protesters in the heart of Los Angeles," her station wrote on X, sharing the video.
In the viral video, Tomasi said, "LAPD moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the heart of LA."
Then a puff of smoke wafted up, and Tomasi let out a yell as a rubber bullet appeared to strike her in the leg while bangs went off in the distance.
"You just (expletive) shot the - " someone said off camera before the video cuts off.
According to the New York Post, Tomasi and her camera operator 'are safe and will continue their essential work covering these events," per a statement from 9News.
'This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the front lines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information,' the network added, according to the Post.
Tomasi has been posting updates from L.A. on her X page. "8pm. Dozens of police have just moved in. Another attempt to move people on. Flash bang grenades - then fireworks - going off," she wrote in one post.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement saying that 'all journalists should be able to do their work safely," the Post reported.
'Australia supports media freedom and the protection of journalists,' the agency said, according to the TV Reporter Struck by Rubber Bullet on Live Video in LA first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2025
