A Los Angeles police officer took the witness stand Tuesday to defend his actions in a tragic 2021 shooting that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old girl at a Burlington Coat Factory store. Officer William Jones faced intense questioning from attorneys representing the family of Valentina Peralta, who was killed by a stray bullet while hiding in a fitting room with her mother.
The incident occurred when police responded to reports of a mentally disturbed man assaulting customers with a bike lock at the North Hollywood department store. The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Daniel Abisai Elena Lopez, had been attacking shoppers and had smashed a store window.
Jones, who arrived at the scene armed with an AR-15 rifle, pushed to the front of a police formation that was moving through the store. Upon encountering Lopez, Jones fired three shots in less than one second. One bullet struck Lopez in the back, killing him. Another ricocheted off the floor and penetrated a fitting room wall, fatally striking Peralta, who died in her mother’s arms.
During testimony, Jones stated he believed Lopez was armed with a firearm at the time of the shooting. The officer explained that moments before firing, police had discovered a woman on the floor with her face covered in blood. Jones testified he thought she had been shot in the head and believed Lopez was preparing to shoot again.
Attorney Haytham Faraj, representing the Peralta family, challenged Jones’s account by presenting statements the officer had made to investigators hours after the shooting. In those initial statements, Jones had expressed less certainty, telling investigators he saw a black object by Lopez’s side that he thought was a possible firearm.
When questioned about the discrepancy between his initial statement and current testimony, Jones maintained his position, describing the traumatic nature of the incident. He acknowledged that he was wrong in identifying the object as a firearm, confirming that Lopez had not been armed with a gun.
The civil trial also featured testimony from Officer Michael Mazur, the senior officer present during the incident. Mazur had organized officers into a tactical formation before Jones arrived and had been heard on body camera footage telling Jones to slow down as he moved forward. Despite this instruction, Jones continued advancing and took the lead position.
Mazur defended Jones’s actions, stating that as the point officer, Jones would have had the best situational awareness and needed to make his own assessments. Radio dispatches during the incident had contained conflicting information, with at least one call incorrectly reporting that a shooting had occurred, while most calls described a suspect wielding a bike lock.
The Peralta family has filed a negligence lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles. Their attorneys have suggested that Jones was overeager to use his assault weapon, for which he had recently received training. Jones has denied these allegations.
The civil trial, which began two weeks ago, is expected to continue with Jones returning to testify Wednesday morning. Closing statements are anticipated next week. If the jury determines the shooting was negligent and finds the city liable, the trial will proceed to a second phase to determine damages, during which Peralta’s parents are expected to testify.
Leave a Reply