Teen Girl Killed by LAPD Gunfire While Trying on Christmas Dresses: Trial Verdict Announced
Jury Finds LAPD Not Liable in Shooting Death of 14-Year-Old Girl
LOS ANGELES – A jury delivered a verdict Thursday in a high-profile case concerning the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta inside a Burlington store in North Hollywood. The jury, in a 9-3 decision, found that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was not liable for Orellana-Peralta’s death, which occurred in December 2021.
The civil trial focused on allegations of negligence and emotional distress stemming from the incident. During the proceedings, it was revealed that Orellana-Peralta was trying on Christmas dresses with her mother when a call came in regarding a man attacking people with a bike lock. Officers responded to the scene, and amid the confrontation, Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. discharged his rifle, resulting in a stray bullet striking Orellana-Peralta.
This tragic event unfolded on December 23, 2021, as the girl was in a dressing room on the second floor of the store. The man involved, later identified as 24-year-old Daniel Lopez, also died during the incident. More than four years later, the LAPD faced a wrongful death lawsuit related to Orellana-Peralta’s death.
Nick Rowley, the attorney representing Orellana-Peralta’s family, emphasized the significant emotional toll on her mother, who was holding her daughter at the time of the shooting. "Valentina’s mother was holding her when she was shot with the AR-15. She had her daughter die in her arms in the most unimaginable way," said Rowley.
The trial concluded with closing arguments earlier this week. This case follows a decision by the Justice Department two years prior, which declined to press criminal charges against the LAPD officer involved in the shooting.
