Public security

Federal agents likely permanently blinded by Portland protesters’ lasers, White House says

Three federal agents who were sent to Portland, Ore., to try to help quell the city’s  violent protests were “likely left permanently blinded” from clashes, White House officials said Friday.

“A federal agent’s hand was impaled by planted nails, another federal agent was shot with a pellet gun, leaving a wound deep to the bone, and tragically, three federal officers were likely left permanently blinded by the rioters using lasers pointed directly into their eyes,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Friday.

All five of the injured federal agents were hurt Monday during ongoing protests at the Multnomah County Justice Center and a nearby federal courthouse in Oregon’s largest city.