Los Angeles Jury Rules City Not Liable in Death of 14-Year-Old Girl by Police Stray Bullet
A jury in Los Angeles has determined that the city is not liable for the death of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was killed by a stray bullet fired by a police officer during a shootout in December 2021. The incident occurred at a Burlington store in North Hollywood, where Orellana-Peralta was shopping with her mother. The bullet, fired by Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr., passed through a dressing room wall, striking and killing the girl. The jury's decision came after a monthlong trial concerning a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the girl's parents against the Los Angeles Police Department. The jury concluded with a 9-3 vote that the city was not negligent. The city attorney expressed sympathy for the family's loss but supported the jury's decision, stating that the officer involved will carry the burden of the incident for years. 
