An n reporter was shot with a rubber bullet by riot police while covering the ongoing mass protests in Los Angeles.
US correspondent for Nine Lauren Tomasi was reporting on the ‘rapidly deteriorating’ riots in the city on Sunday evening, local time, when she was hit.
‘The LAPD are moving in on horseback and firing rubber bullets at protesters,’ Tomasi said.
As she told viewers the police were ‘moving them (protesters) on through the heart of LA’ several loud bangs were heard in the distance.
Just moments later a policeman was seen turning his gun towards Tomasi.
A cloud of smoke appeared next to the journalist and she doubled over in pain.
‘You just f***ing shot a reporter,’ a protester yelled at nearby police.
Several protesters stopped to ask Tomasi if she was okay and she yelled back ‘I’m good, I’m good’.
n reporter Lauren Tomasi (pictured) was shot by a rubber bullet while reporting on the LA riots
Protesters in LA (pictured) are marching against President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal migrants
Nine confirmed Tomasi (pictured during the US election campaigns) was not seriously injured in the shooting
Nine confirmed Tomasi was ‘left sore but otherwise unharmed’ by the close-range shot.
Protesters in the city are marching against President Donald Trump‘s crackdown on illegal migrants and raids by ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Horrifying scenes showed cars erupting into flames and emitting toxic gases as rioters chained themselves to furniture and created blockades to grind Downtown Los Angeles to a complete halt as violence stretched into a third day.
Trump sent in 2,000 National Guard troops and placed 500 Marines on standby, while the LAPD has authorized the ‘use of less lethal munitions’ to regain control of the city.
The conflict has sparked a war of words between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who accused him of intentionally inflaming tensions.
Trump hit back with a Truth Social post on Sunday demanding both Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass apologise for the LA riots.
The president insisted those involved are not ‘peaceful protesters’ as the duo had claimed, but instead ‘troublemakers and insurrectionists.’
Earlier in the evening, authorities faced an uphill battle to contain violence on the 101 Freeway, where more than 2,000 protesters commandeered northbound and southbound traffic.
Trump sent 2,000 National Guard troops into the city to disperse protesters (pictured, a protester holding a sign reading ‘f*** ICE)
An LAPD officer was seen aiming his gun and firing a rubber bullet at Tomasi
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Motorists were trapped in standstill traffic as the group marched with flags and signs high above their heads.
Officers in nearby Alameda and Temple reported ‘people in the crowd are throwing concrete, bottles and other objects.’
At least two officers were injured after motorcyclists ploughed through rioters and ran straight over the top of authorities.
Both of the riders were detained by police as the officers received treatment from medical personnel on the scene.
Elsewhere, officers were reportedly struck by fireworks as they worked to break up a violent crowd, while protesters were filmed brandishing 3D creations of Trump’s severed head on a pole.
At the Los Angeles City Hall, authorities on horseback were locked in a tense standoff with even more demonstrators, sparking fears from local law enforcement officers that they were in for a ‘rough night.’
Further arrests were made throughout the Civic Center area of Downtown LA.