A civil trial has commenced in Los Angeles Superior Court in Burbank regarding the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta by a Los Angeles police officer.
The incident occurred on December 23, 2021, at a Burlington store in North Hollywood, where Orellana-Peralta was shopping with her mother for Christmas clothes.
Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired his rifle three times while responding to a call about a man attacking two women with a bike lock. One of the bullets tragically struck Orellana-Peralta through a dressing room wall, resulting in her death. The girl’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the LAPD, alleging negligence and emotional distress. The lawsuit claims that the LAPD failed to properly train and supervise officers, creating an environment that led to the shooting.
In the courtroom, attorney Nick Rowley, representing the family, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “You don’t bring an AR-15 to a bike lock fight.” He also highlighted the emotional trauma experienced by Orellana-Peralta’s mother, Soledad Peralta, who held her daughter as she died. The family is seeking $100 million in damages.
The Los Angeles Police Commission previously ruled that Officer Jones was justified in firing once but found his subsequent shots to be out of policy. Former Police Chief Michel Moore determined that all three shots were unjustified. Jones has stated that he mistook the bike lock for a gun and believed the area behind the man was an exterior wall, not a dressing room.
As the trial progresses, attorneys for the city are expected to present their opening statements. The LAPD and city attorneys have declined to comment due to the ongoing litigation.
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