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The family of the slain Valentina Orellana-Peralta are heartbroken. The 14-year-old died from a stray bullet during a police operation in Los Angeles. The mother now demands justice.
The 14 year old Valentina Orellana-Peralta was killed by a police bullet that hit the wall of a locker room where she was with her mother.
20 minutes / LA Police Dept.
During a police operation in Los Angeles, a 14-year-old woman was killed by a police bullet in the locker room of a clothing store.
The officers opened fire on a man when a bullet penetrated the wall of the cabin where the youth was with her mother.
The victim’s mother describes how she experienced the moment.
“The moment something hit my daughter, it knocked us to the ground and she died in my arms. I couldn’t do anything». Soledad Peralta wept when she recounted the death of 14-year-old Valentina during a protest outside the Los Angeles Police Station on Tuesday. To lose a child like that is «one of the deepest pains a person can imagine»said Peralta. «Now our sweet angel has left us forever. Please give us strength, Valentina. “
The family of the deceased wants justice. Valentina Orellana-Peralta died the day before Christmas Eve from a stray bullet from a police officer’s weapon. The girl was standing in the locker room of a shopping center in North Hollywood when several police officers set fire on a man who was walking through the store with a heavy bike lock in hand, beating women. According to the police, a bullet fired by the policeman hit the wall of the locker room where Valentina was.
She dreamed of a birthday dress and a future as an engineer
Valentina loved to ride her skateboard and dreamed of one day becoming an engineer to build robots, her mother said at the demo in front of the police station further. Your daughter did themselves on the day of the tragedy pleasedto buy a dress for her 15th birthday. The family is originally from Chile, in many areas of Latin America the celebration of the «Quinceanera» (translated fifteen year old) tradition, because the celebration ehears the transition of 15-year-olds from child to woman.
Valentina’s father had traveled to Los Angeles especially for this and also for Christmas. Instead, he has to carry his daughter to the grave.
Bodycams show the police officers shooting in the shop
On Monday, the Los Angeles police released video recordings of the bodycams. the Bildhe dhe police show, how several officers arrive at the department store with guns drawn. Minutes after they locate the suspect, one of the cops yells: «Stop! Stop!» Then three shots are fired. One of them kills Valentina. The suspect, 24-year-old Daniel Elena Lopez, was also killed in the shootingas «ABC News» writes.
Police Chief Michel Moore announced a full investigation. The “death of an innocent child” was tragic and “catastrophic” for everyone involved, said Moore.
Civil rights organization Lulac criticized it as irresponsible for police officers “firing shots in a busy shop at the height of their Christmas shopping, without knowing whether the suspect was armed ».
The incident is the latest in a series of fatal firearms use by US police officers. There are no nationwide statistics on such cases; the reporting of such incidents by the police authorities is purely voluntary. According to a calculation by the Washington Post, more than 900 people died in the United States from police shots last year.
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