THIS is the terrifying moment a British veteran photographer is shot in the head during the frenzied protests in Los Angeles.

Dad-of-two Toby Canham was left with a severe head wound after he was fired at by a Californian police officer with a rubber bullet.

Canham, 59, was standing just off the 101 Freeway in downtown LA reporting from a tense standoff between cops and protesters on Sunday.

The police were stationed beneath the bridge at a low level and just 100 yards away from Canham and his camera.

The photographer, who has previously served in the British Army, was on assignment for the New York Post at the time.

Hundreds of rioters had gathered above the highway during the protests – prompting journalists to closely watch the chaos.

But an unlucky Canham was caught by a bullet fired from a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer.

Footage captured by the veteran showed the cop suddenly position himself behind a pack of fellow officers behind a pillar.

Moments later he opened fire towards the top of the freeway.

It is unclear what prompted the stray bullet.

Canham was savagely hit directly in the forehead and quickly collapsed to the ground.

He could be heard screaming in agony: “F***, f***, I just got shot in the head!”.

The journalist was helped back to his feet by horrified onlookers who quickly noticed a big red mark appearing.

Pictures show Canham being treated at the scene with a noticeable gash in the middle of his head from the powerful rubber bullet.

He was taken to hospital late on Sunday and spent most of Monday being treated for whiplash and neck pain.

Canham said after the ordeal: “When I got whacked, to my best recollection it was just me filming with my cameras on and then I got shot.

“Where I was hit, I was the only person overlooking the freeway. I wasn’t surrounded so I was an easy target.”

Canham also recalled just minutes before being hit, a flashbang exploded a mere few feet away from him.

It left him with two rips in his trousers from flying shrapnel.

A protester nearby reportedly launched a water bottle at authorities in retaliation.

On the same day, a TV journalist was shot live on air as she reported on the violent immigration riots in downtown LA.

Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi was covering the protests for Nine News when she was hit at close range by a rubber bullet.

The ordeal caused her to collapse in agony mid-broadcast.

Elsewhere, a British photojournalist was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery when a ‘sponge bullet’ tore through his thigh during the same night of carnage.

Nick Stern, 60, from Hertford, said he had made himself clearly visible as a member of the press when he was shot while photographing a standoff between protesters and riot cops.

LA’s streets have turned into a warzone since Friday as heavily armed riot cops used tear gas and rubber bullets to stop incoming rioters.

Sunday night saw the worst of the protests with police being forced to defend the city as people set cars on fire and looted shops.

The chaos has continued for five days with California now announcing a curfew for downtown LA between 8pm and 6am.

The anti-ICE and anti-Donald Trump demonstrations have spread to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and other major cities since.