# Officer shoots Australian journalist with rubber bullet during Los Angeles immigration protests

Published 2026-09-22. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 1 source.

Status: in effect, as of 2026-09-22.

What we don't know: The specific law-enforcement agency and officer responsible for the shot were not identified in the source reviewed.

A law enforcement officer shot Nine News Australia correspondent Lauren Tomasi with a rubber bullet while she was reporting live from a Los Angeles protest against federal immigration raids, prompting Australia's prime minister to call the incident unacceptable and raise it with the U.S. government.[1]

- Country: [United States](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/us) (RSF 2026 rank: 64th of 180)
- Where: United States
- Level of government: Municipal
- Tactic: Detention and violence
- Stage: Punish (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/detention_and_violence#stage-punish)
- Head of government at the time: [Karen Bass](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/karen-bass)
- Issue of the day: The protests followed a series of federal immigration enforcement raids in the Los Angeles area in early June 2025, which drew large crowds and a heavy police and, later, National Guard presence downtown.
- Outcome: Unknown. No investigation or disciplinary outcome regarding the officer who fired at Tomasi was reported in the source reviewed.
- Era: The 2020s

## What happened

On June 9, 2025, Nine News Australia correspondent Lauren Tomasi was reporting live from downtown Los Angeles on protests against federal immigration raids when an officer behind her raised a firearm and fired at close range, striking her leg with a rubber bullet on live television. Los Angeles police reported dozens of arrests that weekend amid the unrest, but no agency issued a statement specifically addressing the shot fired at Tomasi. Tomasi said she and her cameraman were safe and called the incident one of the unfortunate realities of covering events like the protests. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incident "horrific," said his government did "not find it acceptable that it occurred," and said Tomasi had been clearly identifiable as a reporter, adding that Australia had raised the matter with the U.S. government.[1][2][3]

## What reason was given

No law-enforcement agency issued a public justification for firing at Tomasi specifically; officers more broadly cited the need to disperse crowds during the unrest.[1][2][3]

## What changed for reporting

A foreign correspondent, clearly identifiable on camera, was struck by a less-lethal round while filing a live report, becoming one of several documented instances of officers firing on visibly identified journalists during the 2025 Los Angeles protests.[2]

## Timeline

- 2025-06-09: Officer shoots Australian journalist with rubber bullet during Los Angeles immigration protests

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Karen Bass](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/karen-bass) | other | Mayor of Los Angeles |
| [Los Angeles Police Department](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/los-angeles-police-department) | enforced | Municipal police department |

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Nine News Australia](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/nine-news-australia) | outlet | affected |
| [Lauren Tomasi](https://thewaronnews.com/journalists/lauren-tomasi) | journalist, Nine News Australia | affected |

## Sources

1. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles immigration protests hit by rubber bullet on live TV. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/reporter-los-angeles-protests-rubber-bullet-lauren-tomasi-9news-australia/ (CBS News, 2025-06-09).

## Claims cited

[1] Tomasi said she and her cameraman were unharmed enough to continue after being struck by the round. Quote: "I'm okay. My cameraman Jimmy and I are both safe." Source: CBS News, 2025-06-09. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles immigration protests hit by rubber bullet on live TV. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/reporter-los-angeles-protests-rubber-bullet-lauren-tomasi-9news-australia/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/371, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] Tomasi described the shooting as one of the unfortunate realities of reporting on this kind of unrest. Quote: "one of the unfortunate realities of reporting on these kinds of incidents." Source: CBS News, 2025-06-09. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles immigration protests hit by rubber bullet on live TV. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/reporter-los-angeles-protests-rubber-bullet-lauren-tomasi-9news-australia/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/372, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] Prime Minister Albanese said the shooting of a clearly identified reporter was unacceptable and had been raised with U.S. officials. Quote: "we don't find it acceptable that it occurred" Source: CBS News, 2025-06-09. Australian reporter covering Los Angeles immigration protests hit by rubber bullet on live TV. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/reporter-los-angeles-protests-rubber-bullet-lauren-tomasi-9news-australia/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/373, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-australian-journalist-shot-rubber-bullet-los-angeles. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.