The Buckingham

Photo Credit: www.hollyscoop.com

After a tragic accident in which a paparazzo died, Justin Bieber has called for safeguards for celebrities, police, and paparazzi.

A still unnamed photographer, 29, was following Bieber’s white Ferrari (which was being driven by a friend of the pop star), when it was pulled over for speeding on Interstate 405.  The paparazzo was ordered by Los Angeles police back into his own vehicle for safety reasons, when he was spotted by them taking pictures of the traffic stop.  The man was then struck trying to cross four lanes of traffic.

In a statement released by Island Def Jam Music Group on Jan. 2, Bieber, 18, said, “While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic accident, my thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.  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.”

The driver who struck the paparazzo was a 69-year-old Los Angeles woman, who had two small grandchildren in the back seat.  She is unlikely to be citied, police say.