LOS ANGELES (AP) — A wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles Police Department for an officer’s fatal shooting of a 14-year-old girl in a clothing store is set to begin trial Wednesday. Valentina Orellana-Peralta was shopping for Christmas clothes with her mother at a Burlington store in the San Fernando Valley’s North Hollywood neighborhood on Dec. 23, 2021, when she was struck by a bullet that had gone through the dressing room wall. Police were responding to calls for help after a man wielding a bike lock attacked two women in the building. As armed officers walked through the store, Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired his rifle three times, killing the man and Orellana-Peralta. The lawsuit filed by the girl’s parents alleges wrongful death, negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Her mother Soledad Peralta “felt her daughter’s body go limp and watched helplessly as her daughter died while still in her arms,” the lawsuit states. It alleges that the LAPD failed to adequately train and supervise the responding officers and “fostered an environment that allowed and permitted this shooting to occur.” “Valentina had her entire life in front of her, and it was taken in an instant due to reckless decisions made by the very people who were sworn to protect her,” said Nick Rowley, who represents the family. "We intend to hold LAPD fully accountable for taking an innocent young woman’s life.” The Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which represents the LAPD, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. In 2022, the Los Angeles Police Commission ruled that Jones was justified in firing once but that his two subsequent shots were out of policy. Then-Police Chief Michel Moore found that all three shots were unjustified. Jones stated he mistook the bike lock for a gun and believed that someone inside the store was shooting. The outcome of this trial is awaited with great anticipation, especially as similar incidents have raised widespread public concern regarding police accountability.
Trial Begins for LAPD in Wrongful Death of 14-Year-Old Girl
Trial Begins for LAPD in Wrongful Death of 14-Year-Old Girl
The LAPD faces a wrongful-death lawsuit following the tragic shooting of Valentina Orellana-Peralta at a Burlington store in December 2021. As the case unfolds, her family seeks accountability for her untimely death.
A trial has commenced against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) over the wrongful death of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was fatally shot during a police encounter at a Burlington clothing store in December 2021. The lawsuit, filed by her parents, claims negligence and seeks accountability for the tragic incident, further alleging that the responding officers lacked proper training. The LAPD's actions have provoked significant public outcry, and the ruling on this case could have widespread implications for police conduct in similar circumstances.
