LOS ANGELES — A wrongful-death lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department regarding the tragic fatal shooting of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta is now underway. The trial began on Wednesday.
On December 23, 2021, Valentina was shopping for Christmas clothes with her mother in a Burlington store located in North Hollywood when she was struck by a bullet that passed through a dressing room wall. The police had been responding to emergency calls regarding a man attacking two women with a bike lock in the store.
As the officers entered the premises, Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired multiple shots, resulting in the deaths of both the attacker and Valentina. The lawsuit filed by her parents argues wrongful death, negligence, and emotional distress.
Valentina's mother, Soledad Peralta, recounted the horrifying experience of feeling her daughter go limp in her arms as she watched her die. It emphasizes the tragedy of losing a child due to the alleged recklessness of those sworn to protect them.
The lawsuit claims that the LAPD failed to properly train and supervise the responding officers, creating an environment that permitted this devastating incident to occur. Nick Rowley, the family's attorney, stated, 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. We intend to hold LAPD fully accountable for taking an innocent young woman’s life.
The LAPD has yet to comment on the case, but previously, the Los Angeles Police Commission ruled that while one shot was justified, the subsequent shots were out of policy.
Jones claims he believed the situation involved a shooting and mistook the bike lock for a firearm. The area where the incident occurred was complex, with dressing rooms located nearby, which added to the chaos.
This case comes amid broader scrutiny of police practices and training across the United States, particularly following high-profile incidents that raised ethical concerns about policing and community safety.
Rowley recently won a significant settlement in a separate case regarding police misconduct, suggesting a rising trend in accountability measures against law enforcement agencies.
