LOS ANGELES — Police in Los Angeles on Thursday fatally shot a 14-year-old girl who was inside the dressing room of a clothing store as they fired at a man who had assaulted a woman, authorities said.
The suspect was also killed in the police shooting, Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson Officer Drake Madison said. The woman who was assaulted was taken to an area hospital with moderate to serious injuries, the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to authorities, shots were fired at 11:45 a.m. PST at a Burlington Coat Factory store in the North Hollywood area of the San Fernando Valley, KTLA-TV reported.
During a search for additional suspects and victims, ofcrs discovered a victim of a gunshot wound, that victim was determined deceased at scene. This is an ongoing investigation and many of the details are under investigation. Additional info to follow.
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) December 23, 2021
It was not immediately clear what prompted officers to shoot, the Times reported.
While officers were shooting at the suspect, one of an officer’s rounds penetrated a wall that was behind the man, according to KTLA. A dressing room was located behind the wall, and officers discovered the teen, who was fatally struck by the gunfire.
“A subsequent search of the upper floor found a hole in the wall and behind the drywall, it was the dressing room and we located a 14-year-old female in that dressing room,” LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said at a news conference.
Authorities said they are reviewing body camera footage, adding that the suspect did not have a gun, KCBS-TV reported.
“We are at the very preliminary part of this investigation,” LAPD Capt. Stacy Spell told reporters. “There is still surveillance video to look at, witnesses to talk to, and we are looking at body-worn video.”
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