MINNEAPOLIS — Nearly four years have passed since journalist Linda Tirado was in Minneapolis covering the riots after former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd. She was wearing her press credentials and riot gear.
She was shot with a rubber bullet — and her life changed forever. So much so, that her life now, she says, hangs in the balance.
"I was wearing ballistic-rated impact goggles," said Tirado. "And the thing that saved my life that day is because they don't shatter they flex."
As of right now, the city has paid out nearly $10 million settling lawsuits alleging officer misconduct during the riots — $600,000 of that went to Tirado.
Early on in the case, U.S. District Chief Judge John Tunheim said, "Tirado's experience as a journalist during the George Floyd protests and her injuries are serious and troubling."
He went on to say, "that numerous other journalists experienced similar, seemingly unjustified incidents involving less-lethal munitions and other measures is even more troubling, as the allegations plausibly suggest an unconstitutional custom carried out by officers of targeting journalists for unlawful reprisals"
"The case itself changed some precedence to clear the path for press freedom," Tirado said. "I'd do it again in heartbeat. ... Even knowing what it was going to cost me because I got that story."
What it cost her, she says now, is a far greater price than the one she already paid with her left eye.
"I don't think it's worth necessarily dying for," she said. "I might have rethought that had I known this was the eventual outcome, but death comes for everyone at some point."
Tirado says the 40mm impact round she was shot by that day led to a brain injury that then led to a condition affecting her mind, memory, and organ function..
And so she is choosing hospice over more hospitals and surgery.
"Given the limited options available to me, I think I chose correctly," Tirado said. "And I don't think my choice is one everyone should make, cause this is frightening."
Frightening to lose her train of thought, and to lose moments of her day where she says she isn't even lucid.
But as she said, this is her choice, and she holds no regrets ... except one.
"Dying is really (expletive) great except the death part," she said. "For the first time in my life, I'm actually free. I just get to live. It's kind of wonderful."
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