Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was shot with a rubber bullet while covering the escalating protests against US immigration raids in downtown Los Angeles. The dramatic moment, captured live on air, has triggered widespread concern about press freedom and safety, with Australian lawmakers demanding urgent answers from the US administration.
Tomasi, a correspondent for Nine News, was delivering a live report when the incident occurred. In her broadcast, she described the scene: “After hours of standing off, this situation has now rapidly deteriorated, the LAPD moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the heart of LA.” Seconds later, she cried out in pain as a rubber bullet struck her in the leg.
Live Broadcast Shows Reporter Injured by Police Fire
Footage released by Nine News shows a law enforcement officer aiming and firing a rubber bullet in the direction of Tomasi and her camera operator. The journalist clutched her calf in pain as bystanders reacted in shock. One person shouted, “You just fucking shot the reporter!” In response to those asking if she was all right, Tomasi assured them: “I’m good.”
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. #9News
LATEST: https://t.co/l5w7JxixxB pic.twitter.com/nvQ7m9TGLj
— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) June 9, 2025
Nine confirmed the incident in a statement: “Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet. Lauren and her camera operator are safe and will continue their essential work covering these events.” The network emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “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.”
Protests Centered Around ICE Office in Downtown LA
The protest took place near the Metropolitan Detention Centre on East Temple Street, where US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained individuals following recent federal raids. Video geolocation confirmed that Tomasi was reporting from 257 E Temple Street—home to ICE’s Los Angeles field office and the epicenter of the protests.
Authorities had declared an “unlawful assembly” in the area. The LAPD issued a warning earlier in the day advising: “Media partners, please keep a safe distance from active operations.”
Australian Lawmakers Demand Answers
Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young called the shooting “simply shocking” and “completely unacceptable.” She urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to seek “an urgent explanation” from the United States.
“The first thing he [Albanese] must tell the president is to stop shooting at our journalists,” she said. “Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of a strong, functioning democracy.”
Prime Minister Albanese plans to attend the upcoming G7 conference in Canada, where he may meet US President Donald Trump to address the incident, although the meeting remains unconfirmed.
The LAPD has yet to respond to media inquiries about the shooting.
