Video shows Portland protester severely injured by non-lethal police round
A Portland protester was seriously wounded by projectiles fired at him during police clashes, according to reports.
Footage posted to Twitter shows Donavan La Bella, 26, being injured Saturday with what witnesses said was a police-fired impact munition — less lethal weapons used for crowd control, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.
In the footage, La Bella, who was carrying a speaker, was shown kicking a tear gas canister away from himself.
He then returns to holding the speaker over his head before shots ring out and he falls to the ground.
His mother, Desiree LaBella, said he suffered skull and facial fractures that required surgery early Sunday, Oregon Live reported.
“He still has a tube in his skull to drain the blood,” LaBella told the outlet.
The incident comes amid weeks of riots in Portland by what police have characterized as an “agitator corps.”
They claim the group is acting independently of the peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters and taking advantage of demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd to engage in violence and vandalism.
With Post wires