Parents Morn Death Of Teenager Killed In Police Shooting

The parents of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was killed in a fatal police shooting inside a Burlington store in Los Angeles, mourn her death.

It was gathered that a day after her death, her parents received a letter from her school congratulating her for showing dedication and commitment in passing all of her 9th-grade classes.

During the girl's funeral on Monday in the City of Refuge Church in Gardena, near Los Angeles, her father, Juan Pablo Orellana Larenas said;

"Valentina had many dreams and aspirations like any other 14-year-old girl."

"At her school here in Los Angeles, she had enrolled in a class that would have brought her closer to her dreams."

"They have destroyed us as a family and as parents. We will never get over the pain and sadness of not having her by our side anymore."

Her mother, Soledad Peralta, said she could not be prouder of how her daughter overcame language barriers after coming to the United States from Chile and working hard to study.

The parents remembered her as an exemplary girl who loved sports, cared about social justice and advocated for animal rights.

Valentina was killed on December 23 when she went into a store in the North Hollywood neighbourhood with her mother. This was coincidentally when the Los Angeles police went into the store looking for a suspect, and she was hit by a bullet fired at the suspect.

Los Angeles Police Chief, Michael R. Moore has said in a statement, that the department started an investigation on the incident. The California Department of Justice is also investigating the case.