A driver has been charged with assault after intentionally ploughing his vehicle into a crowd outside a Hollywood nightclub early Saturday, injuring 30 people.
The incident was followed by bystanders attacking and shooting the driver before authorities detained him.
The suspect, identified as Fernando Ramirez, 29, faces charges on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokeswoman Rosario Cervantes.
Ramirez is currently recovering in a local hospital from a gunshot wound sustained during the incident and remains in LAPD custody, as confirmed by LAPD Commander Lillian Carranza.
Intentional Act and Aftermath
US media reports indicate that Ramirez was ejected from The Vermont Hollywood nightclub in East Hollywood shortly before he deliberately drove his Nissan Versa sedan into the crowd around 2:00 AM (0900 GMT). LAPD Captain Ben Fernandes told the Los Angeles Times that video footage confirmed the act was intentional.
In the chaotic aftermath, the crowd pulled Ramirez from his car and assaulted him. Authorities are still searching for the individual who shot and wounded the driver before fleeing on foot, Cervantes stated.
Social media footage depicted panicked individuals fleeing the scene, with victims sprawled on a blood-stained sidewalk and others visibly distressed.
A police statement confirmed that when officers arrived, they found the driver being assaulted by bystanders and noted his gunshot wound.
Over 100 firefighters responded to the scene in East Hollywood. Commander Carranza reported that 30 victims were injured, comprising 18 females and 12 males ranging from their mid-twenties to early thirties.
Seven victims are in critical condition, six are serious, ten sustained minor injuries, and seven left the hospital against medical advice.
“Heartbreaking Tragedy”
Many clubgoers were waiting outside the venue, which was hosting a reggae and hip-hop event, when the car struck them, a taco truck, and a valet stand.
Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Adam Van Gerpen told ABC News that the vehicle “took out” the valet podium and the taco truck, impacting a “large number of people.”
By dawn Saturday, the damaged car was towed away, and club employees power-washed the sidewalk outside The Vermont Hollywood. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident “a heartbreaking tragedy,” assuring that “a full investigation into what happened is underway.”
The Vermont Hollywood club also expressed deep sadness over the incident on social media. The area of the ramming is near iconic Hollywood landmarks like Sunset Boulevard and the Walk of Fame.
