A paparazzi photographer was struck by a car and killed yesterday in Los Angeles after snapping shots of Justin Bieber's white Ferrari, the Los Angeles Times reports. Bieber's Ferrari, driven by a friend of the singer, was pulled over for a traffic stop on the 405 Freeway and redirected to a nearby street. The photographer, who was reportedly not a professional, arrived at the street, crossed it to take some photos and was hit by a vehicle as he returned to his car. No arrests have been made, and Bieber was not at the scene.
50 Best Songs of 2012: Justin Bieber, 'Die in Your Arms'
The singer later offered his condolences to the photographer's family. "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."
Bieber has had a notably tense relationship with paparazzi. Last May, the singer was accused of punching and kicking a photographer in a parking lot scuffle, though charges were dropped. In July, a high-speed chase between Bieber and a photographer led to new anti-paparazzi laws that penalize photographers for driving dangerously to capture images. The photographer in that incident had the anti-paparazzi charges dismissed, but still faces charges of reckless driving and failing to obey a peace officer.
