LOS ANGELES — A wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is set to begin trial, following the tragic death of Valentina Orellana-Peralta, a 14-year-old girl, who was shot in a clothing store in December 2021.
Valentina was shopping for Christmas clothes with her mother when stray bullets from LAPD Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr.'s rifle struck her after officers responded to a call regarding a man attacking two women with a bike lock nearby.
The lawsuit alleges that the LAPD failed to provide adequate training and supervision to its officers, fostering an environment that led to the tragic shooting. 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, stated the family's attorney, Nick Rowley.
Jones, during a review, justified his initial shot but was found out of policy for the subsequent two shots. All three shots were described as unjustified following an investigation by then-Police Chief Michel Moore.
This case is part of a broader conversation surrounding police accountability and practices during high-tension emergency responses. The Los Angeles city attorney's office had yet to provide comment on the matter as the trial approaches.
