'Sore, but okay': 9News reporter on shock rubber bullet shooting during LA protests

9News’ US correspondent, Lauren Tomasi, has reassured audiences she is “a bit sore, but okay” after being struck by a rubber bullet while reporting live amid violent protests in downtown Los Angeles.

The projectile, believed to have been fired by law enforcement, hit her in the leg.

Despite the injury, Tomasi emphasised the importance of continuing to tell critical stories unfolding on the ground.

Hey there. Thanks for all your messages - I'm a bit sore, but I'm okay. Important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told. Here's our report on what unfolded in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/S8AvjQuFA7

— Lauren Tomasi (@LaurenTomasi) June 9, 2025

Frontline risks: journalism under fire in a volatile environment

The incident occurred just moments after Tomasi finished a live cross to Australia, as police confronted demonstrators near the city’s metropolitan detention centre.

Nine later confirmed that Tomasi and her camera operator were 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,” the broadcaster wrote in a statement.

Lauren Tomasi on the scene of the LA Protests

A city divided

The unrest in Los Angeles was sparked by a wave of federal immigration raids carried out under the direction of former President Donald Trump.

What began as scattered demonstrations quickly grew into mass protests across the city, as communities rallied against what many saw as a show of force targeting vulnerable populations. Tensions escalated after Trump deployed National Guard troops to the area, a move California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticised as unnecessary and inflammatory.

Demonstrators clashed with heavily armed police and federal officers over the weekend, prompting authorities to declare several gatherings “unlawful assemblies.”

The protests have since intensified, with flashbang grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets used to disperse crowds. Arterial roads, including the 101 Freeway, were blocked, and several vehicles were torched amid the chaos.

While Trump labelled the demonstrators “troublemakers and insurrectionists,” critics argue that the government’s heavy-handed approach has fuelled the very instability it claimed to prevent.

Lauren Tomasi after being shot on the scene of the LA Protests

Local call for answers

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to demand answers from the White House following the incident which she has described as “deeply alarming”.

Hanson-Young, who serves as the Greens’ media and communications spokesperson, said it raised serious questions about press freedom and the safety of foreign correspondents.

She called for Albanese to address the matter directly in his upcoming meeting with President Trump, insisting that the United States must be held accountable when journalists are harmed while doing their job. “Protecting media workers is not optional, it’s a democratic obligation,” she said.

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