NEWCASTLE, Australia (AP) — During live coverage from downtown Los Angeles, an Australian television journalist was struck in the leg with a nonlethal round on Sunday amid the widespread protests sparked by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and the subsequent deployment of California National Guard troops to the city.
Footage released by 9News captures correspondent Lauren Tomasi, holding a microphone, as she’s reporting live when an officer behind her unexpectedly raises their firearm and discharges a nonlethal round at close range. Tomasi, who seems to be without any personal protective gear, cries out in pain and grabs her lower leg as she and her cameraman quickly back away from the police line.
“You just (expletive) shot the reporter,” a voice off-camera can be heard shouting.
Tomasi assured her crew she was okay: “Yeah, I’m good, I’m good.”
The incident unfolded following a tense afternoon where Tomasi and her crew were positioned between riot police and demonstrators. At one point, she found it difficult to speak over the clashes’ noise, while a demonstrator seized the camera during the broadcast.
“They’ve told people to get out of this area, and protesters have been refusing,” she reported. “We are safe here. It’s just noisy. But you can see the volatility.”
Speaking later Monday to 9News, Tomasi confirmed she was safe and unharmed.
“I’m okay, my cameraman Jimmy and I are both safe. This is just one of the unfortunate realities of reporting on these kinds of incidents,” she said.
9News is part of Nine, one of Australia’s largest media companies, which operates across television, radio, print and digital channels. Its major platforms include free-to-air Channel Nine and leading newspapers like The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
The demonstrations, which began with a few hundred people on Friday, had swelled by Sunday to thousands of people who blocked a major freeway and set several self-driving cars on fire.
President Trump’s sent National Guard troops to the city over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom, in the first deployment without state consent since 1967.
