Valentina Orellana-dream Peralta's of becoming an American citizen and studying robotics was dashed when she was shot by police on the floor of a Los Angeles clothes store a few days before Christmas.
On Monday, December 27, the Los Angeles Police Department released edited security camera footage and police body camera films depicting the circumstances leading up to the teen's death by an officer firing at a suspect.
The footage shows a 24-year-old suspect named Daniel Elena-Lopez riding his bike into the Burlington Coat Factory store in Los Angeles while wearing a tank top and shorts. With his bike, he rides up the escalator.
According to authorities, he returns to the escalators moments later wearing a rainbow jacket and long leggings before swinging his bike lock at customers. He is seen assaulting a number of female customers.
Several body camera footage released by police show a woman soaked in blood on the floor as cops approach and try to locate the culprit, who, according to a police statement, was a short distance away.
On the body camera clip, an officer can be heard firing three bullets at the offender, who later collapses to the ground. The officer is shown on video firing a firearm at the subject. Valentina was murdered by one of the bullets.
According to the footage, the police were aware that the area had not been cleared of customers before they began shooting.
Valentina's father, Juan Pablo Orellana Larenas, who travelled to Los Angeles from Chile, told reporters on Tuesday that his daughter had once convinced him that the United States was safe "the world's safest country
Valentina moved to the United States from Chile around six months ago with her mother and sister. Her father remained in Chile, but had planned a holiday trip to California. He had planned to take his daughter to a Lakers game.
"I don't know what to say to convey what I'm going through, especially over the holidays," Valentina's father remarked.
"I'm unable to sleep... All she wanted was to become a citizen of the United States. I once urged her, "Let's get out of here." 'No, papa,' she replied. "This is the safest country on the planet, a land of opportunity.' My daughter is now dead as a result of the state's actions."
Soledad Peralta, Valentina's mother, described taking cover after hearing screaming while shopping for a Christmas dress for her daughter.
"We sat down and hugged each other and prayed," Peralta recalled, recounting how she clutched her daughter and prayed in the dressing room minutes before the girl was hit by a police rifle shell. Peralta, along with human rights attorney Benjamin Crump and others, spoke at a news conference outside the LAPD headquarters.
"She passed away in my arms. I was powerless to act. One of the biggest and most profoundly sad things you can imagine is seeing your son or daughter die in your arms. Valentina meant everything to me, her family, and her friends. Our lovely angel is no longer with us. Valentina gives us the courage to seek justice. I adore you, my daughter." Peralta stated
One of the attorneys representing Valentina's family, Ben Crump, stated that the legal team is requesting access to all evidence from the LAPD investigation.
"This 14-year-old little girl should never end up as collateral damage at a shopping mall," Crump added.
On Tuesday, the board of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents LAPD officers, issued a statement expressing its sympathies.
"Words cannot express how deeply we mourn the passing of Valentina Orellana-Peralta," the statement stated.
"We pray for Valentina's family as they deal with this unfathomable loss, and we also pray for the officer engaged in this situation, who is distraught by what happened."
