Latino civil rights group demands responses to shooting in which Latina teen was shot dead by officer in Los Angeles

Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) demanded responses from authorities for the shooting that occurred Thursday in which a Latina teenager from 14 years old died of a bullet fired by an officer against a suspect of assault on a woman in a North Hollywood store .

“We will give you a reasonable amount of time to bring us some answers ”, expressed the president of LULAC, Domingo García, in a statement addressed on Saturday to the mayor of the city of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti.

“The League will not allow his death to become another statistic,” he added.

Thursday 23 December, Los Angeles (LAPD) answered the call s about the assault of a man against a woman in 12121 Victory Boulevard , where several buyers saw a subject hit the woman with an object, leaving her face bloody.

An officer shot the man, identified such as Daniel Elena López, of 24 years, who was not carrying a firearm, police said later. The suspect was killed by the gunshot .

Officers found an object they described as “a very heavy padlock” near the man and that could be used in the attack on the woman.

At least one of the officer’s shots went through a wall behind the suspect and entered a dressing room, where Valentina Orellana Peralta was , who was with her mother trying on dresses for a quinceañera.

The police found the dead Latina teenager in the dressing room when they searched the store.

It is indefensible that trained Los Angeles police officers can open fire in a crowded store at the height of Christmas shopping without first knowing for sure if (the suspect) was armed, ”Garcia said in his brief.

“Too often and too quickly, officers are n more likely to open fire in our neighborhoods, ”said García, who indicated that the store where the shooting occurred is in a predominantly Latino area.

“Would they have done the same at the Beverly Hills Center in West LA or in Westwood? We hardly believe it. ”

Increase in police shootings

According to statistics, LAPD officers have shot 37 people so far this year, compared to 27 from 2020 and in 2019 ; while police shootings have been more fatal this year, with 17 deceased persons, by 7 in 2020 and 12 past year.

The LAPD chief pointed out in past meetings of the Police Commission that said increase is due to the fact that officers face more people armed with knives and pistols than during 2020 .

The LAPD reported that this Monday would release the images from the body cameras of the officers who intervened in the North Hollywood case , as well as the calls to 911, radio communication transmissions and other evidence related to the shooting.

The California Department of Justice is conducting an investigation into this case.

It may interest you:

· The little girl who lost her life to a stray bullet in Hollywood is Latina

Two people were killed and one injured in a shooting at the Burlington Coat Factory store in North Hollywood

Los Angeles police killed suspect armed with two knives in San Fernando Valley