Valentina Orellana-Peralta was only 14 years old when her life was taken by the actions of LAPD Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. The tragedy unfolded in a Burlington department store, where Valentina was in a dressing room, hugging her mother, Soledad Peralta, praying for safety. But safety never came.
Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. fired three shots, all of which LAPD Chief Moore admitted were unreasonable and violated LAPD policy. Those shots not only killed Valentina Orellana-Peralta but also Daniel Elena-Lopez, another victim whose name must be remembered.
Justice for Valentina Orellana-Peralta: Why We Must Demand Accountability Now
William Dorsey Jones Jr. since has worked as a football coach at Valencia High School, even after the investigation found his actions to be unjustified. It’s infuriating that someone responsible for the deaths of two people is still working with children. Where is the accountability? Where is the justice?
The people demand action. This case is heading to court, where a jury trial will determine if the system will finally hold Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. accountable for his actions. But it shouldn’t have taken this long. George Gascon, the District Attorney, and Rob Bonta, the Attorney General, should have already prosecuted William Dorsey Jones Jr. Their failure to act is a slap in the face to Valentina’s family and everyone who believes in justice.
Valentina’s parents, Juan Pablo Orellana and Soledad Peralta, and her sister, Merry Lee, are forced to live every single day with the memory of that moment. They lost their precious daughter, not just to police violence but also as witnesses and victims of the unnecessary shooting. It is unbearable to think of Soledad holding her daughter, praying, only to lose her in such a brutal and unjustified way.
Every occasion is a reminder of what was taken from them. Valentina would be 17 years old today. Her birthday was May 26. What should be a day of joy and celebration is instead a haunting reminder of a life cut short.
The pain inflicted on this family is beyond comprehension. Spending holidays at the Burlington department store because that’s where it happened, or at a cemetery because that’s where she’s buried—it’s a nightmare no family should have to endure. Yet, they do, all while fighting for answers, accountability, and justice three years later.
The LAPD’s response has been inadequate. The failure of George Gascon and Rob Bonta to prosecute William Dorsey Jones Jr. only compounds the injustice. People deserve transparency. The Orellana-Peralta family deserves transparency.
The people demand:
- William Dorsey Jones Jr. be held accountable and charged with the deaths of Valentina Orellana-Peralta and Daniel Elena-Lopez. He should not be working with children after taking innocent lives. He needs to have his day in court.
- The immediate release of all body cam footage and security videos showing what truly happened that day.
- A thorough FBI investigation into the LAPD’s handling of this tragedy and their broader practices.
Every kind word, gesture, and prayer from the community gives strength to Valentina’s family, but it will never replace what was taken from them. We must keep the pressure on, demanding accountability and justice for Valentina Orellana-Peralta.
This fight isn’t over. Not until justice is served. Check out AFTP Foundation for advocating for the family of Valentina Orellana-Peralta.
Read the speech from Juan Pablo, the father of Valentina Orellana-Peralta;
My name is Juan Pablo, Valentina was my only biological child. I am still in complete shock and disbelief from when my wife Soledad, Valentina’s mother told me that she had been shot and killed by a officer from LAPD at the shopping plaza.
It is like my whole heart has been ripped out of my body. The pain of opening the Christmas presents for her that had been delivered for Christmas Day can not be articulated.
My daughter was special. She had dreams. And tragically those dreams have been overshadowed by this nightmare that prevents me from sleeping.
I talked to my daughter the day before she was killed by the police. She told me she was on Christmas vacation and just passed her math and physics exam. We talked about our dream of going to a Los Angeles laker game together. She was very excited to Christmas. She ordered a skateboard and wanted to surprise me and the skateboarders at her school when they return back to school. She will never get to show them the skateboard.
We want justice for our daughter. Valentina’s life mattered. We demand justice. If this was your baby girl, wouldn’t you demand justice too?
