Minneapolis police projectile permanently blinds photojournalist Linda Tirado
Freelance photojournalist Linda Tirado was struck in the face by a less-lethal round fired by Minneapolis police while covering protests over George Floyd's killing, permanently blinding her in one eye; the city settled her lawsuit for $600,000 in 2022 while continuing to deny an officer had fired the shot.123
- Country
- United States (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)
- Where
- United States
- Level of government
- Municipal
- Tactic
- Detention and violence
- Stage
- Punish (see the ladder)
- Head of government at the time
- Jacob Frey
- Issue of the day
- Tirado was documenting the police response to protests over George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis when she was struck; a federal judge later found her case was one of numerous similar reports of journalists being hit by less-lethal munitions during the same unrest.
- Outcome
- Sustained, May 26, 2022. The city paid $600,000 in a 2022 settlement while continuing to deny that an identified officer fired the projectile.
- Era
- The 2020s
What happened
On May 29, 2020, freelance photojournalist Linda Tirado was covering protests in Minneapolis over George Floyd's killing when she was struck by a tracking round and foam bullets fired by police; one projectile shattered her protective goggles and permanently blinded her in her left eye. Tirado sued the city, police officials and others on June 10, 2020. The Minneapolis Police Department did not respond to requests for comment on the incident. A federal judge, ruling on Tirado's case, found the allegations plausibly suggested a broader pattern, contrary to the First Amendment, of police intentionally using less-lethal munitions against identified journalists, since numerous other reporters described similar experiences during the same unrest. The city reached a $600,000 settlement with Tirado in May 2022, while continuing to deny wrongdoing and never acknowledging that an officer had fired the projectile that blinded her.123
What reason was given
The city did not offer a public justification for the specific shot that struck Tirado and denied that any identified officer had fired it.123
What changed for reporting
Tirado said the injury effectively ended a part of her career as a print photojournalist, though she continued working with adapted equipment; the case became a widely cited example of the physical risk journalists faced covering the 2020 protests.1
Timeline
2020
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Jacob Frey | other | Mayor of Minneapolis |
| Minneapolis Police Department | enforced | Municipal police department |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Linda Tirado | journalist | affected |
Sources
- Freelance photojournalist permanently blinded, others assaulted during Minneapolis protests
- Minneapolis settles lawsuit with Linda Tirado, journalist blinded in one eye during May 2020 unrest
Claims cited
- Tirado said the injury effectively ended that part of her career as a photojournalist.
That part of my career was effectively ended May 29, 2020
Minneapolis settles lawsuit with Linda Tirado, journalist blinded in one eye during May 2020 unrest, Minnesota Reformer, 2022-05-26. Claim 395, checked 2026-09-22. - A federal judge found the pattern of similar incidents involving other journalists plausibly suggested officers had an improper practice of firing on identified press.
the allegations plausibly suggest an unconstitutional custom carried out by (Minneapolis Police) officers of targeting journalists for unlawful reprisals.
Minneapolis settles lawsuit with Linda Tirado, journalist blinded in one eye during May 2020 unrest, Minnesota Reformer, 2022-05-26. Claim 396, checked 2026-09-22. - Tirado said pursuing the case had been worthwhile despite the city's denial of wrongdoing.
I did the right thing. Any time you as a member of the press are covering people who are hurting, it is worth it.
Freelance photojournalist permanently blinded, others assaulted during Minneapolis protests, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, 2020-05-29. Claim 397, checked 2026-09-22.