SYDNEY, June 9 (Xinhua) -- An Australian television news reporter has been shot with a rubber bullet fired by a law enforcement officer while covering ongoing immigration protests in Los Angeles (LA).
Lauren Tomasi, the U.S. correspondent for Australia's Nine Network News, was reporting on the third day of protests sparked by federal immigration raids in LA on Sunday local time when she was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet fired by a police officer in the city's downtown district.
Speaking to the camera shortly before the incident, Tomasi said that the situation in LA was "rapidly deteriorating."
Footage published by Nine showed a law enforcement officer in the background taking aim towards Tomasi and firing.
In a statement, the Nine Network said that Tomasi and her camera operator are safe and would continue covering the protests.
"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," it said. ■
