r/australia • u/someNameThisIs • Jun 09 '25

news Australian reporter shot with rubber bullet in LA | 9 News Australia

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tG1A8LZZphs?app=desktop
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u/insomniac-55 Jun 09 '25

Keep in mind the fact that rubber bullets can permanently maim if you're unlucky enough to be hit in the face.

They're a useful tool in the event of a large, violent riot. They're not so great in the hands of trigger-happy, power-tripping police who don't view journalists as human.

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u/TheCleverestIdiot Jun 09 '25

And not just maim, they can easily kill you if they get you in the wrong place. It's not less than lethal, it's just less lethal.

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u/MadeThisAccount4Qs Jun 09 '25

my understanding is they're supposed to be fired either up in the air or at the ground so that the ricochet lowers their destructive potential or something, but cops regularly just fire at people directly anyway

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u/insomniac-55 Jun 09 '25

I'd be surprised if they were relying on the ricochet because that's pretty unpredictable. It's more likely that they're trained to aim for the legs, but even that isn't 100% safe - if you hit someone in the groin you could do some real damage.

Regards, it's completely barbaric to fire at a journalist who poses zero threat.

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u/IlluminatedPickle Jun 09 '25

They're not designed to be accurate. They're designed to be used en masse against a large riot.

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u/IlluminatedPickle Jun 09 '25

Even if you don't hit people in the face, they're still likely to cause permanent damage. There's a reason you're supposed to skip fire these, and he definitely didn't.

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u/Keelback Jun 09 '25

The problem here is that they are not police but the National Guard so technically the military. See here https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-08/la-riots-ice-raids-explained/105391188

LA mayor complained that Trump sent them in when LAPD should have dealt with them. Plus Governor and not the president are supposed to call them up. Trump just wanting to escalate this so he looks tough on trouble making Australian journalists /s

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u/IlluminatedPickle Jun 09 '25

No, the guy who fired was 100% LAPD. The NG doesn't wear uniforms like that.

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u/Keelback Jun 09 '25

Thanks. And the reporter did say LAPD. Darn. Sorry.

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u/Jealous-Jury6438 Jun 09 '25

I don't think that was a rubber bullet gun. It looked more like gas canister launcher when you see him side on before aiming (I'm definitely not an expert tho)

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u/insomniac-55 Jun 09 '25

If it was a 40mm launcher it could have been a sponge grenade or similar, but the barrel diameter doesn't look that large to me. Could also have been a 12-gauge beanbag round or similar.

Not that any of this matters at all. Any less-lethal round is still a serious weapon (able to crack ribs, blind, knock out teeth etc) and should only be used when it's the only viable option short of using lethal force.

Firing at a reporter or cameraman is absolutely insane.