Los Angeles cops shoot 14-year-old girl dead during assault incident

An incident in a Los Angeles clothing shop this evening has ended with the accidental death of a 14-year-old girl. She was shot and killed after a bullet went through a wall she was behind. The tragic event occurred in a Burlington clothing shop in the North Hollywood area of the San Fernando Valley.

Witnesses told KCBS-TV that the cops had been called after witnesses reported a man who was threatening shoppers. He had apparently tried to attack one woman with a bicycle lock, and allegedly trying to throw items from the upper floor of the store.

A police spokesperson said there had been a report of shots being fired, but no gun was later found at the scene. The suspect was shot and killed by police officers but tragically it would appear that a stray bullet hit the young girl after it went through a drywall directly behind the man.

Identified as Valentina Orellana-Peralta by the Los Angeles County coroner, it is not known if she had taken cover behind the wall when the shooting started, or if she had already been in the store’s changing room.

Dominic Cho, assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department said her body was discovered after investigators saw the hole in “a solid wall that you can’t see behind”.

In a statement, police chief, Michael Moore said, “This chaotic incident, resulting in the death of an innocent child, is tragic and devastating for everyone involved. I am profoundly sorry for the loss of this young girl’s life, and I know there are no words that can relieve the unimaginable pain for the family”.

A “thorough, complete and transparent investigation” has been promised into the incident. Mr Moore added that by Monday 27, a critical incident video will be released. It will comprise body camera and other video footage, along with 911 calls.

It is believed that footage shown on local news, featuring a woman with a bloodied face as she is placed in an ambulance, was the assault victim. She has not been identified, but Mr Choi reported that she had injuries to her head, face, and arms.

Nicholas Prange, a spokesperson for the fire department said the victim had been admitted to the hospital with moderate to serious injuries. The suspect’s name has not been released, while investigators try to establish if the attack was targetted, or random, as reported by news.sky.com.

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