Journalist Shot with Explosive Device While Wearing Press Badge at L.A. Protest Shares His ‘Surprise’ at Officers’ Escalation

Photojournalist Nick Stern is recovering after being shot with an explosive device by law enforcement while covering a protest in Los Angeles over ICE raids, despite wearing a visible press badge and carrying professional camera equipment.

Speaking from his hospital bed at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Stern says he was “surprised” by what he describes as a sudden escalation by deputies.

“I was photographing people who were just waving Mexican flags,” Stern tells PEOPLE. “Then I felt this tremendous pain in my left thigh.”

He is currently being treated following emergency surgery after the device became deeply embedded in his leg.

The incident occurred around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, June 7, during a protest that erupted in response to reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Southern California. Demonstrators gathered to voice opposition to immigration enforcement, prompting a strong response from law enforcement and escalating into clashes.

Stern says he was standing behind a group of peaceful protesters — not hiding, not obstructing — when the shot was fired.

“I always wear my press ID around my neck so it’s highly visible,” he says. “I was carrying a large camera with a video camera attached. I make sure I’m clearly identifiable as media.”

“I was surprised they were firing anything at all,” he adds. “Where I was standing, there was nothing more than people waving flags. I wasn’t aware of anyone throwing projectiles or doing anything aggressive.”

According to Stern, it was members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who opened fire from what he describes as a “skirmish line” formed behind their vehicles.

“There was no approach. They were just firing from a defensive position behind their cars,” he says.

The projectile, later removed during surgery, was a flash bang explosive device in a hard plastic casing.

“It’s about three inches long and an inch in diameter, with a rounded nose. It completely buried itself into my leg muscle. It wasn’t a surface injury, it was fully embedded,” he explains.

Stern, who has covered protests around the world, says this isn’t the first time he’s been injured on the job. During the 2020 George Floyd protests, he was struck by a foam projectile — a bruise that lasted weeks, but didn’t cause any permanent damage.

“That was painful, but it didn’t break the skin. This one? I needed surgery.”

After being hit Saturday night, Stern says he called for help. A group of nearby protesters rushed over, carried him to the sidewalk, and flagged down a medic. “They cut off my pants to look at the injury and applied first aid,” he recalls. “I actually passed out from the pain.”

He was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery the next morning to remove the device.

Though he’s eager to return home to attend his son’s graduation, Stern says recovery will take time and effort. He’s currently unable to walk and remains hooked up to antibiotics and a wound drainage system.

“The wound is so large they had to attach a vacuum drain to pull out fluid,” he says. “I’ll be sent home with it, connected to my leg 24/7 for at least two weeks.”

One of his main concerns now is infection. Because the device was embedded so deeply and left in his body overnight, he’s being closely monitored and treated with IV antibiotics.

“Fortunately, my wife is a nurse and a wound care specialist, so she can do a lot of the procedures at home,” he says. “But right now, I can’t even stand. I’m hoping physical therapy today will help determine the next step.”

As for how the experience might change the way he approaches his work, Stern tells PEOPLE it’s complicated.

“I’d like to say it won’t change how I work,” he says while quoting world-renowned photographer Robert Capa. “(He) said, ‘If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.’ That’s been my philosophy. But being close puts you at risk.”

“Law enforcement in Los Angeles really needs to look at how they treat the media,” he adds. “There’s been clear targeting. Not just now, but going back to 2020. It’s disgraceful that nothing has changed.”

Still, Stern says the work remains essential even if the risks have become more personal.

“Your safety and health should come first. But if you lead with that, you can’t do the job you’re out there to do,” he says. “Documenting what’s happening in the U.S. right now is so important; socially, politically, culturally. It needs to be seen. It needs to be recorded. We can’t turn away from it.”

As he continues to recover, Stern says the incident has left him shaken and with lingering questions.

“I have a possible belief that they do target media, but I have nothing to prove that,” he says.

Despite it all, he remains committed to the work and to telling the truth, no matter how dangerous it becomes.

A representative for the L.A. Sheriff’s Department said in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Monday, June 9: “The Department is still reviewing video footage of the incident involving United Kingdom reporter Nick Stern, and it is not clear at this time whether our department was involved in this incident. After reviewing the footage involving Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi, it appears that it involved another law enforcement agency and not the Sheriff’s Department.”

“We are committed to an open and transparent relationship with members of the media and are committed to ensuring they can perform their duties safely while covering events, including protests, civil disobedience, and public gatherings,” the statement continues. “The LA County Sheriff’s Department values its relationship with the media and remains firmly committed to transparency, especially during emergencies and critical incidents. We recognize the essential role journalists play in keeping the public accurately informed, and we strive to facilitate media access safely and effectively.”

“LASD prioritizes maintaining access for credentialed members of the press, even in restricted areas when safe to do so. Our goal is to ensure that the media can carry out its responsibilities while we uphold public safety and operational integrity,” the statement reads.