2:30 am - 01/02/2013
Paparazzi have had nasty run-ins with pop star Justin Bieber, including a high-speed chase in July that prompted a city councilman to predict that such an encounter could end tragically. On Tuesday, a photographer, who thought he spied Justin Bieber sitting in his parked white Ferrari, was struck by oncoming traffic as he walked across a Los Angeles freeway to get back to his car after snapping photos.
An opportune picture of the 18-year-old celebrity can rake in hard currency -- but Bieber was not in the car at the time of the New Year's Day incident. California Highway Patrol officers had pulled over Bieber's vehicle Tuesday evening at an off-ramp of Interstate 405. The photographer spotted the sports car, parked his own vehicle across the street, crossed to get closer to Bieber's car and took photos of its occupants, said Los Angeles Police spokesman James Stoughton.
Officers told the man twice to return to his car, CNN affiliate KTLA reported. A car struck the paparazzo as he crossed back across the street to leave, Stoughton said. Authorities have not released his name.
"While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim," Bieber said in a statement.
"Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves.
CNN
2, 3
Update to this post. All snark aside, just wow @ everything.
*Update* on Paparazzo Killed Trying to Photograph Justin Bieber's Ferrari. Statement From Bieber.
Paparazzi have had nasty run-ins with pop star Justin Bieber, including a high-speed chase in July that prompted a city councilman to predict that such an encounter could end tragically. On Tuesday, a photographer, who thought he spied Justin Bieber sitting in his parked white Ferrari, was struck by oncoming traffic as he walked across a Los Angeles freeway to get back to his car after snapping photos.
An opportune picture of the 18-year-old celebrity can rake in hard currency -- but Bieber was not in the car at the time of the New Year's Day incident. California Highway Patrol officers had pulled over Bieber's vehicle Tuesday evening at an off-ramp of Interstate 405. The photographer spotted the sports car, parked his own vehicle across the street, crossed to get closer to Bieber's car and took photos of its occupants, said Los Angeles Police spokesman James Stoughton.
Officers told the man twice to return to his car, CNN affiliate KTLA reported. A car struck the paparazzo as he crossed back across the street to leave, Stoughton said. Authorities have not released his name.
"While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim," Bieber said in a statement.
"Hopefully this tragedy will finally inspire meaningful legislation and whatever other necessary steps to protect the lives and safety of celebrities, police officers, innocent public bystanders, and the photographers themselves.
CNN
2, 3
Update to this post. All snark aside, just wow @ everything.
That and public sentiment seems to have always been, "Well they are a celebrity and they know what comes with the job!! They are getting paid millions of dollars, they should just suck it up!!" The public's sense of entitlement to a celebrities life is also at play here.
Edited at 2013-01-02 11:05 am (UTC)
like, if it were just some avg person and someone was trying to take a photo of them from the side of the free way everyone would be like wtf are you doing?
The cynic in me says that the family is going to be like JB NEEDS TO MAKE A PERSONAL APOLOGY and stuff, but i hope not. for everyones sake.
I really want coconut rice
There really needs to be some laws, like a sweeping restraining order so asshats don't make fools of themselves getting smeared on the road 'cause a pic was more important than their own safety.
Been on ONTD for years now and I still don't really understand how midia/fame/celebs work, seriously lol
i actually cannot
even if he wasn't supposed to imho, that guy just died while following him, it's not like he asked him to take pictures
idk I can't feel sympathetic to paparazzi, just like I don't feel sympathetic towards anyone making money out of other people's private lives