Suspect in North Hollywood store shooting that also left teen dead had long criminal history
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The suspect fatally shot by police inside a North Hollywood Burlington store had an extensive criminal history that included an arrest and guilty plea for domestic battery and fleeing from police.
On Friday, coroner's officials identified the suspect as 24-year-old Daniel Elena Lopez, whose criminal history was reported by the Los Angeles Times. The 14-year-old girl who was killed by a stray bullet fired by an LAPD officer in that shooting was also identified.
Valentina Orellana-Peralta was shopping with her mother for a quinceañera dress Thursday when she was fatally struck from inside a dressing room.
Police said they received a radio call about an assault with a deadly weapon shortly before noon Thursday at the store, which is located near the intersection of Laurel Canyon and Victory boulevards.
As officers made their way to the scene, police received additional calls of a possible active shooter situation underway at that location with reports of shots fired.
When police arrived at the scene, they encountered a suspect "who was in the process of assaulting" a victim, LAPD Capt. Stacy Spell said. That's when police opened fire on that suspect, who was subsequently taken into custody, he added.
The Los Angeles Fire Department later pronounced that suspect dead at the scene.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore told Eyewitness News Thursday evening that one officer fired three shots - one of those shots hit and killed the suspect.
"One of the rounds apparently struck a wall behind the suspect and behind that wall was a fitting room, and inside there, tragically was this 14-year-old girl and her mother," Moore said.
Video showed a woman with a bloodied face, who appeared to be the assault victim, being placed in an ambulance.
The victim was taken to the hospital with moderate to serious injuries, Fire Department spokesperson Nicholas Prange said. Police said she had wounds to her head, arms and face.
Investigators were trying to determine whether the assault was random or targeted. LAPD Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said they don't believe the teenager was related to the person who was attacked.
The Los Angeles Police Department is expected to release bodycam footage of the shooting by Monday.
