California authorities have identified the teenage girl who was shot and killed by police while inside a department store dressing room.
According to CBS affiliate KCAL, the incident took place Thursday morning at a Burlington Coat Factory in North Hollywood, where the LAPD responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon. Shortly after arriving at the scene, officers opened fire on the suspect, who was ultimately killed during the confrontation. A stray police bullet penetrated one of the dressing room walls, and fatally wounded 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta. The teen was reportedly inside the room along with her mother, trying on dresses for her quinceaneras.
“As the officers were responding, they arrived at this location and began a search, looking for a suspect,” LAPD Capt. Stacy Spell said. “While conducting that search for a suspect, the officers encountered an individual who was in the process of assaulting another, and an officer-involved shooting occurred [...] We were able to locate a 14-year-old female who was found deceased in that dressing room.”
Spell also confirmed a third individual was transferred to the hospital after the shooting. The woman reportedly sustained multiple injuries during the initial assault. It’s unclear if she knew the suspect prior to the incident.
“We did not find a gun,” LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said when asked whether the suspect was armed. “However, until the coroner gets here and we do a full search of the suspect, that won’t be definitive. But right now we haven’t located a firearm.”
Choi said officers came across a heavy “steel or metal cable lock” that may have been used by the suspect, who has yet to be identified.
Burlington addressed the tragedy with the following statement:
At Burlington, our hearts are heavy as a result of the tragic incident that occurred today at our North Hollywood, CA store. Our top priority is always the safety and well-being of our customers and associates. This is an ongoing investigation, and we are supporting authorities.”
