LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Police Department on Monday released video of the shooting that killed an assault suspect and a 14-year-girl who was in a changing room at a department store.
The edited video package was posted online and included 911 calls, radio transmissions, body camera footage and surveillance video from the Thursday shooting at a Burlington Coat Factory store in North Hollywood crowded with holiday shoppers, the Los Angeles Times reported. According to The Associated Press, the department’s policy is to release video from critical incidents, such as police shootings, within 45 days.
The video shows the suspect beating a woman with a bicycle lock before a group of officers finds him, the Times reported. One officer opened fire with a rifle, striking Daniel Elena-Lopez, 24, the newspaper reported. Elena-Lopez falls to the ground, where he would later be pronounced dead, the newspaper reported.
A 'shy girl' from Chile, shot by LAPD while shopping, died in her mother's arms https://t.co/9r1E5J7jDT
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 28, 2021
Officials with the Los Angeles County coroner’s office on Friday identified the girl as Valentina Orellana-Peralta, KTLA reported. Authorities said she and her mother were in a changing room at the Burlington in North Hollywood on Thursday morning when officers opened fire on a man suspected of assaulting a woman in the store. A bullet went through a wall and into the dressing room, striking the girl, officials said.
Warning: Video below contains some graphic footage.
“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 Capt. Stacy Spell said in the video. “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.”
Police believe that the bullet that killed Orellana-Peralta skipped off the floor and struck the dressing room wall, the AP reported.
>> Girl, 14, killed while LA police fatally shoot assault suspect
Carolina Peralta, the girl’s aunt, said Orellana-Peralta had been a shy girl in Chile, but “everything was turning out well for her in the U.S.,” the Times reported.
“Valentina died in the arms of her mother, inside the dressing room,” Peralta told the newspaper. “My sister does not understand how this tragedy could have happened just when they had managed to reunite the family.”
The video shows Elena-Lopez entering the Burlington store with his bike and wearing a tank top and shorts, CNN reported. He takes the escalator upstairs with his bike.
>> 14-year-old girl killed in Los Angeles police shooting identified
Moments later, Elena-Lopez returned to the escalators wearing a multicolored jacket and long pants before swinging his bike lock at customers. He can be seen attacking several female customers.
Several body camera videos released by the LAPD showed a woman on the floor covered in blood as officers arrive.
The department had not released the name of the officer who fired the weapon as of Monday night, according to the Times. He was placed on paid administrative leave for at least two weeks, CNN reported.
Orellana-Peralta’s parents are expected to hold a news conference Tuesday
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