Shocking moment British photographer films himself getting shot in the head by LA riot cops

Shocking footage has captured the moment LA police shot a British photographer in the head with a rubber bullet as the city was rocked by violent riots on Sunday evening. 

Father-of-two Toby Canham, who was on assignment for the New York Post, was filming videos of the chaos from an elevated level when a California Highway Patrol officer suddenly fired at him, leaving him with a severe head wound. 

Disturbing footage taken by Canham captured the moment he was struck in the forehead, which caused him to fall to the ground.

‘F**k, f**k, I just got shot in the head!’ the photographer can be heard screaming from behind the camera. 

Just moments before he was struck, Canham’s video showed a police officer positioning himself behind a pillar. 

It is unclear why Canham was hit.

The LA-based photographer, who had previously served for the British Army, was treated in hospital for whiplash and neck pain. 

Images show the bloody red wound he was left with on his forehead. 

Shocking footage has captured the moment LA police shot a British photographer in the head with a rubber bullet

Toby Canham, who was on assignment for the New York Post, was filming videos of the chaos from an elevated level when a California Highway Patrol officer suddenly fired at him

The LA-based photographer was treated in hospital for whiplash and neck pain

Speaking about his harrowing ordeal, Canham said: ‘When I got whacked, to my best recollection it was just me filming with my cameras on and then I got shot,’ said Canham.

‘Where I was hit, I was the only person overlooking the freeway. I wasn’t surrounded so I was an easy target.’  

Seconds before he was hit with the rubber bullet, a flashbang initially exploded a few feet from him, causing shrapnel to kick up and leave two holes in his clothes. 

Los Angeles is currently in its fifth day of protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. 

Demonstrations have spread to other cities nationwide, including Dallas and Austin, Texas, Chicago and New York, where a thousand people rallied and multiple arrests were made.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and said a curfew will run from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday.

‘We reached a tipping point’ after 23 businesses were looted, Bass said during a news conference.

The curfew covers a 1 square mile section of downtown that includes the area where protests have occurred since Friday.

Los Angeles is currently in its fifth day of protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown

Demonstrations have spread to other cities nationwide

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and said a curfew will run from 8 p.m. Tuesday until 6 a.m. Wednesday

Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act, which authorizes the president to deploy military forces inside the U.S. to suppress rebellion or domestic violence or to enforce the law in certain situations.

It’s one of the most extreme emergency powers available to a U.S. president. 

The protests began Friday after federal immigration raids arrested dozens of workers in Los Angeles as part of his crackdown on immigration.

Protesters blocked a major freeway and set cars on fire over the weekend, and police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades.

The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown in the city of 4 million.

Thousands of people have peacefully rallied outside City Hall and hundreds more protested outside a federal complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids.

The protests began Friday after federal immigration raids arrested dozens of workers in Los Angeles

Protesters blocked a major freeway and set cars on fire over the weekend, and police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades

The demonstrations have been mostly concentrated downtown in the city of 4 million

Thousands of people have peacefully rallied outside City Hall and hundreds more protested outside a federal complex that includes a detention center where some immigrants are being held following workplace raids

Despite the protests, immigration enforcement activity has continued throughout the county

olice and national guards take measures as thousands of anti-ICE protesters are gathered outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center and Federal Building and take streets in Los Angeles, California on June 10, 2025

Despite the protests, immigration enforcement activity has continued throughout the county, with city leaders and community groups reporting ICE present at libraries, car washes and Home Depots. 

School graduations in Los Angeles have increased security over fears of ICE action and some have offered parents the option to watch on Zoom.

McDonnell said that police had made 197 arrests on Tuesday, including 67 who were taken into custody for unlawfully occupying part of the 101 freeway.

Several businesses were broken into Monday, though authorities didn’t say if the looting was tied to the protests.