Australian journalist shot with nonlethal bullet while reporting on LA protests
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Australian journalist shot with nonlethal bullet while reporting on LA protests
Lauren Tomasi, a U.S. national correspondent for Australia’s 9News, was shot in the leg by a rubber bullet. Video captured by 9News shows a nearby armed police officer aiming a weapon at Tomasi before firing, striking the back of her left leg. Tomasi is heard yelling out in pain as the camera pans away.Thousands of people began to gather in Los Angeles on Friday, June 6 to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations. Local police and hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed to the city over the weekend.
Lauren Tomasi, a U.S. national correspondent for Australia’s 9News, was shot in the leg by a rubber bullet while reporting on the immigration raids and ensuing protests in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 8, the network reported. Video captured by 9News shows a nearby armed police officer aiming a weapon at Tomasi before firing, striking the back of her left leg. Tomasi is heard yelling out in pain as the camera pans away.
9News reported that Tomasi is sore but otherwise unharmed from the incident.
Only about an hour before, Tomasi had been caught in a group of protesters while covering the raids. Exploding flashbang grenades can be heard as Tomasi conducts a live shot before protesters begin yelling at her and grabbing the camera she is talking into.
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What is happening in Los Angeles?
Thousands of people began to gather in Los Angeles on Friday, June 6 to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations. Small protests throughout the city have mounted to large demonstrations and some destructive clashes between officers and protesters. Local police and hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed to the city over the weekend.
Authorities declared several of demonstrations on Sunday as “unlawful assemblies” and began firing flash bang and tear gas grenades into large groups of protesters. California’s 101 Freeway has been blocked by protesters and several vehicles have been set on fire during the protests.
Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have continued to spar on the raids, especially after the president sent National Guard troops to the city.
“Let’s get this straight: 1) Local law enforcement didn’t need help. 2) Trump sent troops anyway − to manufacture chaos and violence. 3) Trump succeeded,” Newsom said in a X post. “4) Now things are destabilized and we need to send in more law enforcement just to clean up Trump’s mess.”
On the other hand, Trump said in a Truth Social post on June 8 that Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass should “apologize to the people of Los Angeles for the absolutely horrible job that they have done, and this now includes the ongoing L.A. riots. These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists.”
Contributing: John Bacon, Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.