Agency photojournalist grazed by shrapnel at LA-area protest

An agency staff photographer was struck by shrapnel from a stun grenade deployed by law enforcement while documenting anti-deportation protests in Compton, California, on June 7, 2025.

The protests began June 6 in response to federal raids in and around Los Angeles of workplaces and areas where immigrant day laborers gathered, amid the Trump administration’s larger immigration crackdown. After demonstrators clashed with LA law enforcement officers and federal agents, President Donald Trump called in the California National Guard and then the U.S. Marines over the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass.

Demonstrations the following day were centered around a Home Depot in Paramount, a predominantly Latino suburb of Los Angeles, after Border Patrol agents were spotted nearby, the Los Angeles Times reported.

As the evening progressed, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies formed a line blocking the bridge that led to the Home Depot and connected Paramount to the adjacent city of Compton.

The photojournalist, who asked to remain anonymous because the agency they work for did not authorize them to speak about the incident publicly, told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that the deputies were deploying stun grenades throughout the evening.

“They were throwing them out like crazy,” the photojournalist said, “and a piece of shrapnel just kind of grazed my shoulder. I was standing among the protesters at that one, so that one wasn’t so alarming to me. It hurt, but I feel like that’s kind of a hazard of the job.”

The photojournalist noted that law enforcement was more violent that day than at any prior protest that they had documented, including throughout 2020.

“I have never been in a situation where less-lethals were fired so rapidly for such an extended period of time. The flash bangs were like, ‘Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang,’ and they weren’t stopping,” they said. “It was honestly terrifying. It felt like a war zone.”

The agency staff photographer was also shot with multiple crowd-control munitions while documenting protests in LA two days later.

In a statement emailed to the Tracker on June 10, the Sheriff’s Department said it prioritizes maintaining access for credentialed media, “especially during emergencies and critical incidents.”

“The LASD does not condone any actions that intentionally target members of the press, and we continuously train our personnel to distinguish and respect the rights of clearly identified journalists in the field,” a public information officer wrote. “We remain open to working with all media organizations to improve communication, transparency, and safety for all parties during public safety operations.”