USC Freshman Partially Blinded by Federal Projectile During ‘No Kings’ Protest in Los Angeles

18-year-old USC freshman Tucker Collins lost his right eye after a DHS agent fired a projectile during the "No Kings" protest in Los Angeles on March 28, 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 9, 2026, 5:12 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Los Angeles Today

A Life-Altering Strike During Civil Unrest

The "No Kings" protests, which erupted across the United States on March 28, 2026, have resulted in a severe injury to an 18-year-old USC freshman. Tucker Collins, an astronautical engineering student with a minor in cinematic arts, was struck in the face by a crowd-control projectile while photographing a demonstration in downtown Los Angeles. According to his legal counsel, the impact was so severe that it destroyed his right eyeball and fractured the surrounding orbital bones. The incident has reignited a national debate over the use of "less-lethal" force by federal agents and the safety of student journalists and observers during public demonstrations.

Conflicting Accounts of the Downtown Confrontation

The circumstances surrounding the strike remain a point of intense dispute between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the victim’s representatives. Federal officials maintain that agents were responding to a riotous atmosphere outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, where demonstrators allegedly threw rocks, bottles, and cement blocks at officers. DHS stated that seven warnings were issued to the crowd before control measures were deployed. Conversely, attorney V. James DeSimone asserts that Collins was positioned away from the front lines and was acting solely as an observer and photographer. DeSimone contends that his client was not engaging in any threatening behavior or attacking personnel when the agent fired the projectile.

Legal Escalation and the Federal Tort Claim

In response to the injury, DeSimone has announced plans to file a federal tort claim next week, serving as the mandatory precursor to a formal lawsuit against the federal government. The legal team is currently seeking witnesses and additional video footage of the March 28 confrontation to support their claim of excessive force. The lawsuit is expected to focus on the Department of Homeland Security’s training and the specific decisions made by agents on the ground. DeSimone argues that the injury represents a failure in accountability, stating that a student documenting a protest should not face life-altering violence from law enforcement.