LAPD Officer Testifies to Warnings Before Valentina Orellana-Peralta’s Fatal Shooting
Officer Michael Mazur testified he warned Officer William Jones to slow down before Jones fatally shot Valentina Orellana-Peralta in 2021.
Why it matters: The $100 million wrongful death case against LAPD and Los Angeles may set precedent for police liability standards and scrutiny of use-of-force, drawing national legal attention.
- Officer Mazur told the court he warned Officer Jones at least two or three times to slow down before the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta.
- The California Attorney General declined criminal charges in April 2024 but LAPD’s commission found two of three shots violated policy.
- Plaintiffs' attorney Nick Rowley criticized the use of an AR-15 against a suspect armed with a bike lock.
- Officer Jones remains on home duty pending resolution of the civil lawsuit.
A Los Angeles jury is considering whether the city and the LAPD should pay $100 million to the family of Valentina Orellana-Peralta, a 14-year-old killed by police gunfire in a North Hollywood Burlington store in 2021.
- Officer Michael Mazur testified he warned fellow LAPD Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. "at least two or three times to slow down" as they entered the store responding to reports of an assault with a bike lock. Mazur described an "adrenaline dump," but maintained his warnings as they approached the suspect. (Courthouse News)
- Moments later, Jones fired three AR-15 rifle rounds. Orellana-Peralta, who was shopping with her mother, was struck and killed by a round that passed through a dressing room wall. Mazur testified he saw the chaos unfold and confirmed he had cautioned Jones about his approach. (Courthouse News)
- The California Attorney General declined to pursue charges against Jones in April 2024, finding no evidence of criminal intent but the Los Angeles Police Commission determined that only the first shot was justified under policy. The other two shots violated LAPD’s use-of-force standards. (The Guardian)
- Attorney Nick Rowley, representing Orellana-Peralta’s family, argued, “You don’t bring an AR-15 to a bike lock fight.” (The Guardian)
Officer Jones has been on home duty since the incident and awaits the civil trial’s outcome.
By the numbers:
- $100 million — Wrongful death damages sought by the Orellana-Peralta family.
- 2 of 3 — Number of shots by Officer Jones determined outside LAPD policy.
- April 2024 — Date California Attorney General declined to file charges.
Yes, but: The California Attorney General found insufficient evidence of criminal intent for charges against Officer Jones.
What's next: The jury’s decision in the Orellana-Peralta wrongful death suit will shape future police liability cases in Los Angeles.