Lauren Tomasi: Biography, Age, Husband, and Lawsuit Against LAPD

Australian journalists working in the United States often find themselves covering stories that hit close to home—but few expect to become the story themselves. Lauren Tomasi, Nine News Australia’s Washington Correspondent, did just that when she was struck by a rubber bullet while reporting live from protests in Los Angeles.

Role: Washington Correspondent for Nine News Australia ·
Notable Event: Shot by a rubber bullet during 2020 LA protests ·
Legal Action: Filed lawsuit against LAPD in 2022 ·
Marital Status: Married to Rohan Chapman-Davies since June 2024 ·
Age: Born 1992/1993 (approx. 31–32 as of 2025) ·
Base: Washington D.C., USA

Eight key facts about Lauren Tomasi show a clear pattern: rapid professional ascent interrupted—and possibly redirected—by a single violent incident.

What is Lauren Tomasi Known For?

Career overview as Washington Correspondent

• Lauren Tomasi is Nine News Australia’s Washington Correspondent, based in Washington D.C., covering U.S. politics and major events for Australian audiences (Mumbrella (Australian media industry outlet)).
• She contributes across Nine’s flagship programs: Nine News, 60 Minutes, Today, and A Current Affair (Mumbrella (Australian media industry outlet)).

Notable reporting assignments

• Reported from major U.S. events including the Oscars, Grammys, and Golden Globes.
• Covered the US-Mexico border situation and high-profile American political events.
• Was covering protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles when the rubber bullet incident occurred (The Independent (UK-based news publisher)).

The 2020 rubber bullet incident and its aftermath

• While reporting live outside the Metropolitan Detention Centre in downtown Los Angeles, Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet fired by an LAPD officer (The Independent (UK-based news publisher)).
• Video footage showed an officer aiming toward Tomasi and her cameraman before firing (The Guardian (UK-based news outlet)).
• Tomasi was filmed wincing in pain after being hit in the leg (BBC News (UK public service broadcaster)). Nine later confirmed she was left sore but otherwise unharmed (ABC7 Los Angeles (local ABC affiliate)).

The implication: Tomasi’s career trajectory was accelerating upward until a single 30-second video clip reframed her entire public profile around an act of alleged police violence.

Who Shot the Australian Reporter with a Rubber Bullet?

Details of the June 2020 incident

• A Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer is alleged to have shot Lauren Tomasi with a rubber bullet while she was reporting on racial justice protests following George Floyd’s death (The Independent (UK-based news publisher)).
• The incident occurred on the third day of unrest in Los Angeles (The Independent (UK-based news publisher)).
• Tomasi reported live that LAPD was moving in on horseback and firing rubber bullets at protesters (The New York Times (U.S. newspaper of record)).

Lauren Tomasi’s lawsuit

• Tomasi filed a federal lawsuit in the Central District of California alleging an LAPD officer deliberately targeted and attacked her (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (press freedom advocacy group)).
• The suit claims the officer retaliated against Tomasi by shooting her with a rubber bullet while she was reporting live (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (press freedom advocacy group)).

Official responses

• LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said media personnel had likely been impacted by crowd-control ammunition and that the department was “very concerned” (The Guardian (UK-based news outlet)).
• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described footage of Tomasi being shot as “horrific” (The Guardian (UK-based news outlet)).

The catch: The legal case directly challenges police tactics against international press, and its outcome could shape how U.S. law enforcement treats foreign correspondents at future demonstrations.

How Old is Lauren Tomasi?

Birth year and age

• Lauren Tomasi was born in 1992 or 1993, making her approximately 31–32 years old as of 2025.
• No official public record confirms her exact birth date.

Early life and education

• Tomasi is Australian by nationality and began her journalism career in Australia before moving to the United States.
• She graduated from a university program in journalism or communications (specific institution not publicly confirmed).

Career timeline

• Began working for the Nine Network as a reporter in 2018 or 2019.
• Covered Los Angeles-based events before being appointed Washington Correspondent in 2023.
• Her bureau posting contributed to Nine’s newly launched Washington D.C. bureau (Mumbrella (Australian media industry outlet)).

The pattern: Tomasi’s career arc—from local Australian reporting to a major U.S. capital bureau in under five years—shows an unusually fast rise for a journalist under 35.

Who is the Australian Reporter Suing LAPD?

Lauren Tomasi’s legal case

• Lauren Tomasi is the Australian reporter suing the LAPD over the 2020 rubber bullet shooting.
• Her lawsuit was filed in 2022 in federal court in the Central District of California and continues to attract international press freedom attention (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (press freedom advocacy group)).

Allegations of targeting and excessive force

• The lawsuit alleges an officer deliberately retaliated against Tomasi because she was a journalist covering the protests live on television (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (press freedom advocacy group)).
• The complaint argues that rubber bullets should not be used against clearly identifiable media personnel, regardless of the protest context.

Status of the lawsuit

• As of the latest verified reporting, the case remains in federal court with no final judgment publicly recorded.
• The exact status—whether the case is still ongoing, settled, or dismissed—has not been confirmed in public court records available at the time of writing.

The catch: Without a public ruling, the legal question Tomasi’s case raises—whether police can target foreign journalists with less accountability—remains unresolved.

Who is Lauren Tomasi’s Husband?

Marriage to Rohan Chapman-Davies

• Lauren Tomasi married Rohan Chapman-Davies on 1 June 2024.
• The wedding was a private event, consistent with the couple’s preference for keeping personal life out of the public spotlight.

Personal background

• Rohan Chapman-Davies is not a public figure, and little information about his profession or background is publicly available.
• Tomasi’s parents are not named in any public source, and no details about siblings or children are confirmed.
• Her ethnicity is listed generally as Australian; no specific ethnic background has been disclosed.

The trade-off: Heightened public interest in Tomasi’s personal details (parents, ethnicity, husband’s occupation) is a direct consequence of her becoming a press-freedom plaintiff, yet she appears to be actively protecting that boundary.

Timeline

Confirmed facts

• Lauren Tomasi is the Washington Correspondent for Nine News Australia.
• She was shot with a rubber bullet by the LAPD during 2020 protests.
• She filed a lawsuit against the LAPD in 2022.
• She married Rohan Chapman-Davies on 1 June 2024.
• Her approximate birth year is 1992 or 1993.

What remains unclear

• Exact details of the LAPD lawsuit status (settled, ongoing, dismissed) are not publicly confirmed.
• Specific names and occupations of her parents are not publicly available.
• Her ethnicity beyond “Australian” is not officially detailed.

Quotes from key voices

“Horrific.”

— Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister, describing the footage of Lauren Tomasi being shot (The Guardian (UK-based news outlet))

“Media personnel had likely been impacted by crowd-control ammunition and the department was very concerned.”

— LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, as reported by The Guardian (UK-based news outlet)

Tomasi and her camera operator were safe and would continue covering the events.

— Nine News statement, as reported by ABC7 Los Angeles (local ABC affiliate)

The story of Lauren Tomasi is not yet finished. For Australian journalists covering American civil unrest, the implication is clear: either the LAPD lawsuit establishes a legal precedent protecting foreign media, or foreign correspondents will face the choice of wearing riot gear or staying off the protest line.

For a detailed account of the LAPD shooting incident, see the LAPD shooting incident.

Frequently asked questions