Photojournalist permanently blinded by rubber bullet while covering Minneapolis protests
Jun 1, 2020
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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After the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week, protests have developed across the United States. While covering the street protest in Minneapolis on Friday, photojournalist Linda Tirado was shot in the left eye. She was reportedly shot with a rubber bullet, but sadly, her eye could not have been saved.
[Editor’s note: Some viewers may find the images in tweets below to be disturbing]
The New York Times writes that Tirado wore goggles to protect her eyes while she was covering the protests. The police reportedly used tear gas and rubber bullets to break the protests, and several sources note that they targeted the members of the press. Tirado was reportedly running from tear gas when the goggles slipped off her face. Not long after that, she felt that “her face exploded.”
She told the New York Times that she put her camera down for just a second when it happened. She added that protesters carried her out, and she soon ended up in surgery. Before she went to the OR, she tweeted a photo of herself, still hoping that her left eye could be saved:
Hey folks, took a tracer found to the face (I think, given my backpack) and am headed into surgery to see if we can save my left eye
Am wisely not gonna be on Twitter while I’m on morphine
Stay safe folks pic.twitter.com/apZOyGrcBO
— Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis) May 30, 2020
Unfortunately, Tirado couldn’t have her eye saved. After the surgery, she updated her followers on Twitter that she is permanently bind in her left eye. “But it wasn’t my photography eye so it’s not career-ending. I can still see flowers and sunsets, just maybe I won’t be able to tell how far away they are,” she wrote in the thread she posted after the surgery.
an update: I am permanently blind in my left eye, and the docs absolutely refuse to let me go back to work for they say six weeks. I’m definitely not allowed to be near smoke or gas.
Usually if I had to stay home I’d spend a lot of time amplifying folk but reading hurts today
— Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis) May 30, 2020
Tirado told the New York Times that what she believes was a rubber bullet came from the direction of the police. According to multiple sources, Tirado is just one of the journalists who was attacked, harassed or arrested since the protests began.
[via Insajder, The New York Times]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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33 responses to “Photojournalist permanently blinded by rubber bullet while covering Minneapolis protests”
We need police control.
Kevin Lane the police need to be controlled. They’re shooting people for just standing on their porch
Warren v. DC, fire them all. Replace with private security.
Shannon Der Aldinger private security are just as bad. They need more people from the communities in the police. The police need to know the people, be part of the community, not be an occupying oppressor
Justin Smith I can agree with the part of the community, not above it. But the point about Warren v. DC still stands, if that was not a precedent I wonder if one of the officers that suggested letting Mr. Floyd lay on his side would have been more forceful being obligated to render assistance to an individual.
https://www.facebook.com/188056068070045/posts/1414268212115485/
This is what the police should be like
Justin Smith In short Peace Officers, not Law Enforcement Officers. Thanks for sharing that link.
Wear your googles.
She did wear googles!!!
Wear helmets when protesting.
It’s getting out of control it seems.
Go to a violent protest and expect to be safe? I believe this and I belive that are not facts. Its unfortunate that this person put themselves in harms way. Just imagine if she was not there she would still have her eye. There is some personal responsibility here also.
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. Well but this is the USA. A country of brave people who rather die than give up on their freedom.
It just seems that the police left the bubble of democracy.
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. You should be glad that you can enjoy freedom of speech and these brave people brings freedom of press so you know what kind of shit is going on. Same thing happened to a journalist covering the protest in Hong Kong a few months ago. Do you even know about it? I bet you don’t,? censorship!
Even some of US police are kneeling down and apologizing, those asshuts in HK would go on keep bashing teenagers and kids, and raping girls inside police station
I covered the WTO riots in Seattle for the paper I worked for and I was terrified that something like this would happen to me. I did my job anyway, because that’s what I signed up for knowing the risk. Would you tell a firefighter not to go in to a burning building to save people inside because the building might collapse on them? I think this woman is very brave and her positive attitude in light of her situation is powerfully inspiring.
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. That is victim blaming
Why are the police aiming at heads anyway?
Bob Murray no its not victim blaming its logic. Do you expect them to be protected more than anyone else? Why?
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. Yes it is. It’s like blaming people for getting shot in drive by shooting
No, Not more than anyone else
Bob Murray that does not apply. These people went to an activity that was known to probably be violent. They went on their own accord. Fully aware of the consequences. Its called personal responsibility in any case.
Bob Murray You are assuming the shot was aimed at her. More likely to have missed its intended target and hit her downrange.
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. I’m going to guess you’re not the kind of navy where people get hurt, right? Because I can’t imagine you having that kind of discourse at a veteran’s funeral, for example.
Daniel P Sousa I’m gonna guess you have no idea what is or is not said at a Veterans funeral.
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. you guess incorrectly. And yeah, guess I was right.
Daniel P Sousa to the reverse of that you don’t know me or anything about me. Your assumptions are just that. Enjoy them as you own em.
Rickey J. Farmer Sr. I’m going by your words, that people who work in dangerous situations should be called on their “personal responsibility” when something bad happens. Again, I’m not seeing you getting up to a veteran and spewing that bullshit.
I talk shit to veterans daily and them with me so maybe you shod rethink your position.
So sad.
Sad, but if you go into a war zone ( and it IS a war zone ) then you take that chance of getting hurt or worse. :(
True that, but when American police officers deliberately target American citizens exercising Constitutional rights, that has to suck a bit.
“Photojournalist”?
You mean Antfia member?
“what she believes was a rubber bullet”
With no more information than given – no objective feelings can be made. Sorry for her loss of sight. But many journalist have been killed or just wounded, during combative situations, through negligence or lack of preparation. If you’re going into a violent situation… this will always be a possibility. It’s not a game.