OREANDA-NEWS. In Los Angeles, a 14-year-old Hispanic girl was accidentally shot and killed by a policeman during the capture of a criminal. It is reported by the Washington Post.

Valentina and her mother came to buy clothes for Christmas on Thursday, December 23rd. At the same time, a man attacked customers with a bicycle chain. When trying to arrest the criminal, the police used automatic weapons and killed him. One of the bullets fired hit the wall of the fitting room in which Valentina was. The teenager died in her mother's arms.

The US Police Department in Los Angeles on Monday, December 27, released a video showing that the girl was injured after an officer shot a suspect, 24-year-old Daniel Lopez. The American public is divided. Some condemned the policeman for choosing a powerful lethal weapon during arrest, since the policeman did not even try to use a stun gun. At the same time, others agree with the actions of the police, even though it led to the tragedy.

Michael Jennaco, the former head of civil rights at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, says there is no definitive answer to the question of whether the police did the right thing. “Officers in extreme situations must act quickly and decisively to avoid innocent victims,” Jennaco said.

LAPD Defense League union spokesman and board member Tom Suggau previously told the Washington Post that the officer responsible for the death was "devastated and condolences to the family."

The family of the deceased has hired lawyers and intends to seek justice in court. This was stated by lawyer Ben Crump at a press conference on Tuesday, December 28.