Nine News US correspondent Lauren Tomassi has been shot by police with a rubber bullet while reporting on violent protests in downtown Los Angeles, reigniting global concerns over press freedom and the treatment of media workers in conflict zones.
Tomasi was struck in the leg while delivering a live cross outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre, where tensions have boiled over following a series of controversial immigration raids by US federal authorities. The disturbing footage shows a police officer appearing to aim directly at Tomasi and her cameraman before opening fire.
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
Moments earlier, Tomasi was heard describing the escalating situation: “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 was hit. Cries of alarm erupted from bystanders, with one shouting: “You just f*cking shot the reporter!”
Despite the impact, Tomasi remained composed.
Speaking on 3AW, Tomasi said: “It really did hurt, I’d say they were the size of a golf ball”.
“I guess it comes part and parcel of the job sometimes, but it does … give you a sense of … the situation here is out of control.”
In a statement, Nine said that Lauren and her crew are safe and “will continue their essential work covering these events”
Tomassi reaffirmed this in a post to X that appears to have since been taken down.
“I’m a bit sore, but I’m okay. Important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told,” she wrote.
Journalists Under Fire
This is not an isolated incident. In the same weekend, British photojournalist Nick Stern was also hit by a sponge bullet and underwent emergency surgery. Stern had made efforts to visibly identify himself as press but was still targeted while covering standoffs between protesters and police in nearby Compton.
“My initial concern was, were they firing live rounds?” Stern said. “Some of the protesters came and helped me, and they ended up carrying me, and I noticed that there was blood pouring down my leg.”
“I intend, as soon as I am well enough, to get back out there,” he said. “This is too important and it needs documenting.”
Seven News reporters were later seen wearing vests to protect themselves.
View this post on Instagram
The troubling pattern follows a string of similar attacks in recent years. In 2020, Australian journalist Amelia Brace and cameraman Tim Myers from the Seven Network were struck by US police while reporting on the Black Lives Matter protests outside the White House. A US review later found excessive force had been used.
“As a reporter, I have no interest in becoming the story, but over recent weeks, many of us have been left with no choice,” Brace said at the time. “I’ve been shocked to see how many journalists have been attacked, beaten and detained, just for doing their jobs”.
“Covering protests does carry unavoidable risks, but the media’s role is essential. We don’t just have a right to be there, we have an obligation. As Australian journalists, we are the eyes and the ears of our people. In this case, witnessing civil unrest in the capital of our most powerful and closest ally.
“It is crucial to democracy that journalists be allowed to do their job freely and safely and that is certainly something we should expect in the world’s greatest democracy.”
Government Response: Outrage and Urgency
The shooting of Tomasi has prompted a swift political reaction in Australia. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young labelled the act “simply shocking and completely unacceptable”, calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to seek an urgent explanation from US President Donald Trump, who is expected to meet with Albanese at the G7 summit in Canada next week.
“As Albanese is preparing for his first meeting with President Trump, the first thing he must tell the president is to stop shooting at our journalists,” Hanson-Young said. “Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of a strong, functioning democracy.”
“There is no reason why the prime minister should not be picking up the phone today and asking for an explanation”.
Greens Senator Nick McKim echoed that sentiment, calling for a diplomatic response “at the highest possible level”. He said that the Australian government’s response needs to happen “now”.
“If the prime minister is not going to pick up the phone, the minister for foreign affairs absolutely should,” he told the ABC.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan admitted that the footage appeared to show deliberate targeting, but urged a thorough investigation before drawing conclusions.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) released a statement reiterating that “all journalists should be able to do their work safely,” and confirmed the Australian Consulate-General in Los Angeles was in contact with Tomasi and “stands ready to provide consular assistance if required”.
DFAT added that Australians are being advised to avoid areas where demonstrations and protests are taking place.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra this morning, Albanese is expected to address the “significant global uncertainty” and “economic instability” facing the country, but remained tight-lipped on his exact response to the matter, instead leading with a commitment to economic stability and keeping election promises.
“It is the more corrosive proposition that politics and government and democratic institutions, including a free media, are incapable of meeting the demands of this moment,” he is expected to say. “Our responsibility is to disprove it.
“To recognise that some of this frustration is drawn from people’s real experience with government, be it failures of service delivery, or falling through the cracks of a particular system.
“To counter this, we have to offer the practical and positive alternative”.
A Clear Threat to Press Freedom
The protests where Tomasi was injured were part of growing unrest in Los Angeles following President Trump’s directive to detain up to 3,000 undocumented migrants a day and deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to California. The move was condemned by Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, who accused the administration of provoking chaos for political gain.
Video from the protests shows law enforcement using tear gas, flash-bangs, rubber bullets and aggressive dispersal tactics against demonstrators, many of whom were unarmed and seemingly peaceful. Protesters set fire to Waymo self-driving cars, blocked major freeways and chanted “shame” at riot police and National Guard troops. The situation quickly deteriorated into scenes reminiscent of past civil unrest in LA.
Accredited journalists and media partners were reportedly warned earlier in the day to keep a safe distance as an “unlawful assembly” was declared.
The shooting of an easily identified foreign journalist by law enforcement in a democratic nation highlights a chilling truth: press freedoms are not guaranteed, even in countries that pride themselves on upholding them.
Covering protest movements is a vital public service. Journalists operate on the frontlines to document events, hold authorities accountable and ensure transparency in moments of national crisis. When they are deliberately targeted, it undermines democracy and sends a dangerous message that truth-telling is a threat, rather than a duty.
As Nine News noted in its statement: “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”.
While Tomasi is recovering, the broader issue remains unresolved. Will Albanese raise the matter directly with Trump? Will US authorities investigate the shooting, or brush it off as collateral damage? And most crucially, what precedent does this set for international journalists working in the US?
