An Australian news reporter, 9News U.S. correspondent Lauren Tomasi, was covering the anti-ICE protests and riots in Los Angeles when, suddenly, she was shot by a rubber bullet while live on air.
Videos by Suggest
9News Australia shared the exact moment that Tomasi was shot by a rubber bullet.
“LAPD moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the heart of LA,” Tomasi said.
Moments later, and following a loud bang, one of the Los Angeles Police Department officers is shown pointing the weapon at the camera. The officer then pulled the trigger. Tomasi grabbed her leg as she screamed.
“You just f–king shot the reporter!” a man yells at the officer. Then, another individual asks Tomasi, “You okay?” Tomasi answered, “Yeah, I’m good, I’m good” with a distraught voice.
9News reported that, while she was left sore by the impact of the rubber bullet, she was not harmed further.
Earlier in the day, as reported by the outlet, Tomasi was seen reporting in the middle of a group of protesters. While attempting to talk amid the gunfire and flashbang grenades going off, one of the protesters grabbed the 9News camera.
“They’ve told people to get out of this area, and protesters have been refusing,” Tomasi said. “We are safe here. It’s just noisy. But you can see the volatility. I can see police here are firing rubber bullets at these protesters.”
Reaction
Following the incident, Nine, 9News’ publisher, issued a statement condemning the incident.
“Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet,” Nine said. “Lauren 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.”
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, as per the outlet, urged Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss the incident with President Donald Trump. As per The Guardian, both men will attend the next G7 meeting in Canada next week.
“The prime minister must seek an urgent explanation from the US administration,” Hanson-Young said. “Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of a strong, functioning democracy.”