Last month, a six-year-old girl named Ella became the center of a shocking incident when she fatally shot a 28-year-old police officer in the United States. The tragic event unfolded after Ella witnessed her mother being restrained by law enforcement officers.

The situation began when Ella’s mother left her in the car while entering a supermarket to buy a 75-inch television. After making the purchase, she was stopped at the store’s exit and asked to show her receipt, as required by store policy. Despite searching thoroughly, she couldn’t locate the receipt. She returned to the cashier, who confirmed her purchase and explained the situation to the security guard. However, the guard insisted she produce the receipt before leaving.

Frustrated, Ella’s mother attempted to leave the store but was confronted by the security guard and two police officers. They ordered her not to load the television into her car. Despite her attempts to explain, the officers refused to listen and forcefully restrained her, pushing her to the ground. As she struggled, she cried out that she couldn’t breathe and pleaded that she wasn’t a thief.

From inside the car, Ella saw her mother in distress, gasping for air. Terrified for her mother’s safety, she found her mother’s gun, stepped out of the vehicle, and pointed it at one of the officers. She warned him to release her mother or she would shoot. The officer, seemingly dismissing the child’s threat, continued restraining her mother. In a moment of desperation, Ella fired multiple shots at the officer, killing him instantly. She then dropped the gun, raised her hands, and stood still as her mother regained consciousness.

The second officer, a woman, quickly arrested both Ella and her mother and called for backup. They were taken into custody.

Following an investigation, police reviewed the supermarket’s CCTV footage, which confirmed that Ella’s mother had indeed purchased the television. The missing receipt was later discovered on the store floor. The footage also showed the officers restraining Ella’s mother while her daughter watched in fear, believing her mother’s life was in danger. It also captured Ella warning the officer before firing the shots.

Ella and her mother were eventually granted bail and appeared in court. During the trial, the judge ruled that Ella had acted in defense of her mother and was not criminally responsible for the shooting. The court concluded that, at six years old, Ella likely couldn’t differentiate between law enforcement and criminals, especially given her mother’s desperate cries for help. The judge also criticized the officers for their unprofessional conduct, stating that they should have reviewed the store’s CCTV footage before resorting to such extreme measures.

The case was dismissed, and both Ella and her mother were released.