A jury ruled that the city of Los Angeles was not liable in the 2021 death of Valentina Orellana-Peralta, a 14-year-old girl killed by a stray bullet from an LAPD officer during a shootout. The verdict came after a monthlong trial where her family sued for wrongful death, negligence, and emotional distress.
Key Takeaways
A jury found the city of Los Angeles not liable in the death of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was killed by a stray bullet from an LAPD officer during a shootout in 2021. The ruling came after a monthlong trial where the family's lawsuit alleged wrongful death and negligence.
- Jury rules city not liable in Orellana-Peralta’s death
- Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired shots at suspect Daniel Elena-Lopez, killing him and hitting Valentina
- LAPD review board found two of three shots out of policy; former chief deemed all unjustified
- California attorney general declined to file criminal charges against the officer
The shooting occurred on December 23, 2021, at a Burlington store in North Hollywood. Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr., responding to reports of an armed man attacking customers with a bike lock, fired three shots at the suspect, Daniel Elena-Lopez. One bullet ricocheted off the ground and struck Orellana-Peralta, who was hiding in a dressing room with her mother.
The jury sided with the city 9-3, concluding that Jones acted without negligence. The family’s attorney, Nick Rowley, called the ruling devastating, while Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto defended the decision, stating the officer would carry the burden of Orellana-Peralta's death for years.
Jones testified he mistook Elena-Lopez’s bike lock for a gun and believed he was in a life-or-death situation. The LAPD review board found two of his three shots out of policy, but former Police Chief Michel Moore deemed all unjustified. However, the California attorney general’s office later concluded that Jones acted reasonably and declined to file criminal charges.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 3 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.