Chilling bodycam footage released after fatal shooting of innocent girl, 14, in LA

28 December 2021, 08:58 | Updated: 28 December 2021, 09:20

Police in Los Angeles have released bodycam footage from an incident that led to an innocent teenager being fatally shot as officers opened fire on a suspect in a shop.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on Monday released an edited package of surveillance camera footage and police body camera videos showing the events that led to the death of Valentina Orellana-Peralta, 14.

She was in the changing room at the Burlington Coat Factory in North Hollywood on 23 December, when a bullet struck her through a drywall that is thought to have been discharged by an officer who had been firing at a suspect.

The footage, shared on LAPD's Youtube channel, showed officers responding to reports of a possible shooting at the store.

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The suspect, Daniel Elena Lopez, can be seen lashing out at two women, including one who he dragged through the aisles as she tried to crawl away.

Several body camera videos released by police show a woman on the floor covered in blood as officers arrive and attempt to find the suspect, who, according to a police statement on Friday, was a short distance away.

An officer can be heard on the body camera footage firing three bullets toward the suspect, who later falls to the ground.

WARNING: The below video shows moments before and after a suspect is fatally shot by LAPD resulting in the death of innocent 14-year-old girl

LAPD bodycam footage from fatal shooting of 14-year-old girl who was in store dressing room

Valentina Orellana-Peralta, 14, was in a dressing room with her mother when a bullet aimed at the suspect passed through the wall, fatally striking the teenager.

"At this preliminary phase of the investigation, it is believed that the victim was struck by one of the rounds fired by an officer at the suspect," police captain Stacy Spell said in the posted video.

Valentina was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest, coroner records show.

The LAPD believes that bullet bounced off the floor and through the drywall, killing the teenager.

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Captain Spell added: "We at the LAPD would like to express our most heartfelt condolences and profound regret for the loss of this innocent victim, Valentina Orellana-Peralta.

"There are no words that can describe the depth of the sorrow we feel at this tragic outcome."

The police department also released three 911 calls and radio transmissions of the shooting.

One call is from a store employee who tells the operator that there's an "hostile customer in my store attacking customers".

While she is on the phone with the operator, she is also repeatedly heard yelling at people to evacuate the store. She explains to the operator that the suspect is using a bike lock to attack people.

Police Capt. Stacy Spell explains in the video that the shooting is still in its early stages of investigation.

The incident will also be reviewed by representatives from the California Department of Justice, the Attorney General's Office, and the Office of the Inspector General, according to Spell.

The suspect died at the scene and no firearm was recovered.