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Lawsuit: Journalist blinded in one eye by officers' foam bullets during Minneapolis riots

Published  June 10, 2020 5:12pm EDT
Death of George Floyd
FOX 9

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A journalist who was blinded in one eye during the Minneapolis riots is suing Minneapolis and Minnesota state officials after she says officers shot her with foam bullets, injuring her and causing her blindness.

According to the lawsuit filed Wednesday, journalist Linda Tirado said she was taking photographs of the unrest Friday evening, May 29 when she stepped in front of the protest crowd and aimed her camera at the police officers to take a picture of the police line.

In the lawsuit, Tirado says the officers fired foam bullets at her despite her crying out, “I’m press!”

By the time she arrived at the hospital, Tirado says her left eye was permanently destroyed.

The Tennessee-based freelance journalist specifically named the city of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis Police Federation President Bob Kroll, Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington, Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matthew Langer and unidentified officers who committed the acts in the lawsuit.