The shooting of a young protester

This story was first published on 10 February and has been updated.

Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing was taken to hospital in a critical condition, and 10 days later her family announced that she had died. She had turned 20 while in hospital.

The young woman’s shooting has become a defining moment in Myanmar’s fight for democracy following the military coup on 1 February. 

Footage of the incident, and a photo that appears to show her bloodied and unconscious afterwards, have been widely shared on social media. 

Many Burmese online are outraged at the first protester to die since the start of the anti-coup demonstrations, and the UN has expressed concern at the actions taken by security forces.

The army says that only rubber projectiles, not real bullets, were used during the protests and that the police are investigating. 

So what do we know about the woman in the video? What was she doing at the time she was shot, and were bullets fired at protesters? 

Looking at the photos and video shared on social media, and by speaking to forensics experts, we’ve examined the evidence around the shooting. 

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