Jury Finds City of L.A. Not Liable in 2021 Police Shooting of Teen Girl

Key Points:

• A Los Angeles jury found the city not liable in the wrongful-death civil suit concerning the 2021 shooting death of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was struck by a stray bullet fired by police officer William D. Jones Jr.
• The incident occurred during a police response to an assault in a North Hollywood store, where Officer Jones fired three shots, one of which ricocheted and fatally hit Orellana-Peralta, who had been hiding with her mother.
• The jury voted 9 to 3 in favor of the city, which argued the officer acted under the belief that the suspect was armed, though he was carrying a bicycle lock.
• The city attorney expressed sympathy for the family but supported the officer’s actions, noting that Officer Jones remains employed by the LAPD and has carried the burden of the girl's death since the shooting.
• The family’s lawyer called the verdict devastating and difficult to understand after a monthlong trial, reflecting the deep emotional impact of the case.