When veteran photojournalist Carlos Mendoza was struck in the abdomen by a projective fired by LAPD during an anti-ICE demonstration in Echo Park, nobody expected the live footage to show him bleeding out on the pavement—or that he would be rushed into emergency surgery to save his life.
Mendoza, 38, had been reporting for KLAX-TV on the escalating standoff between protesters decrying Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and officers enforcing a new curfew. Just after 8 p.m., as he narrated that “tensions remain high but largely peaceful,” a sudden flash and the crack of a less-lethal round sent Mendoza sprawling backward. Spectators gasped when his press jacket erupted in a spray of blood.
“I saw Carlos go down and heard the crowd gasp. It was unreal.” #PressUnderFire— Emily Chen (@emilychennews) July 15, 2025
Paramedics arrived within minutes, whisking Mendoza to the nearby California Hospital Medical Center, where scans revealed a perforated small intestine and internal bleeding. He was taken straight to surgery—six hours under the knife to repair damage doctors described as “life-threatening” in a statement to NBC Washington.
According to an LAPD account shared with Reuters, officers fired beanbag rounds after protesters lobbed glass bottles and launched fireworks toward the press line. Yet video reviewed by The New York Times shows Mendoza standing well to the side of any confrontation, camera trained on riot-equipped officers. Deputy Chief Ramon Salazar insisted the shot was “unintentional collateral damage” while the department investigates.
“Our hearts go out to Carlos and his family. Journalists must be protected.” #PressFreedom— Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) July 16, 2025
Mendoza’s colleagues describe him as a seasoned professional who always wears clearly marked press gear and identifies himself before entering volatile zones. “He’s covered civil rights protests for a decade,” said Alicia Chen, his producer, in an interview with CNN. “Never in a million years did we think he’d be shot at point-blank range.”
Across the city, reporters rallied outside the hospital, chanting “Don’t Shoot the Messenger” and demanding an independent inquiry. The ACLU of Southern California filed a Freedom of Information Act request for body-cam footage, warning that unchecked use of so-called “less-lethal” weapons risks chilling the press and endangering bystanders.
“This is a red line for press freedom. We demand transparency and accountability.” #ACLU— ACLU SoCal (@ACLUSoCal) July 16, 2025
Legal experts point to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which allows injured parties to sue municipal actors for civil rights violations. Attorney Leah Patel, who represented journalists in earlier police-related suits, told The New York Times that “Mendoza’s case is textbook: identifiable press hit by police-fired ordnance, no imminent threat, and clear harm.”
Meanwhile, city councilmember Sofia Martinez introduced an emergency resolution demanding LAPD adopt stringent “press-safe corridors” during protests and ban certain crowd-control projectiles in press areas. “We must protect those who risk their lives to tell our stories,” Martinez said at a packed hearing streamed by KCET.
“Our city cannot tolerate journalists being treated as combatants.” #DCProtests— Local4DC (@Local4DC) July 16, 2025
International press freedom organizations have also condemned the shooting. Reporters Without Borders called it “a violent assault on information,” urging the U.S. government to enforce UN standards protecting journalists in conflict zones—a sentiment shared in a UNESCO release.
On social media, the hashtag #JournalistsNotTargets began trending as viewers replayed the moment Mendoza fell. One viral TikTok by @PressWatchLive slowed the footage frame-by-frame, highlighting how the projectile was aimed above protesters’ heads, then veered toward Mendoza—fueling accusations of reckless policing.
“Studied the video: he was clearly press. Officers had full view.” #PressUnderFire— PressWatch (@PressWatchLive) July 16, 2025
Despite his critical injuries, Mendoza’s condition stabilized after surgery. Surgeons say he avoided major vessels by millimeters, but he faces a long recovery involving physical therapy for abdominal strength and psychological support to overcome trauma—efforts chronicled in a GoFundMe set up by his station, which has raised over $150,000 in three days.
In his first statement since the operation, delivered via a video update on KLAX’s website, Mendoza thanked viewers for their support: “I came into this job to shed light on injustice, not to be caught in the crossfire. But I’ll be back, because the story matters more than the fear.”
