Lauren Tomasi, Nine News’ U.S. correspondent, has been covering the protests that erupted in response to President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration crackdown.

On Sunday, June 8, demonstrators flooded downtown Los Angeles, with some setting vehicles on fire near the Metropolitan Detention Centre.

The day had began quietly, with relatively small groups protesting the immigration raids, but tensions quickly escalated as crowds swelled to thousands by the afternoon.

Reporting live from 257 E Temple Street, Tomasi described how the LAPD was “moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters.” Just moments later, the chaos hit close to home — Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet.

A bystander’s voice pierced the noise: “You just f**king shot the reporter.”