A vehicle crashed into a group of people outside a nightclub in Hollywood early Saturday, according to police reports, injuring 30 individuals, with bystanders attacking and shooting the driver before law enforcement took him into custody.
The suspect was “undergoing surgery” and was in stable condition, stated Lillian Carranza from the Los Angeles Police Department.
“He is not free to leave, he is in the custody of Los Angeles Police Department,” Carranza told local news station KCAL, adding that police were looking into charges including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
The crowd pulled the driver from the car and assaulted him during the chaos that ensued following the vehicle strike, which occurred around 2 am (0900 GMT), as indicated by police.
Authorities were seeking a gunman who shot and injured the driver before fleeing the scene on foot. Videos shared on social media depicted frantic individuals escaping the club and victims lying on a blood-soaked sidewalk, while others wept nearby.
The individual driving the vehicle, identified as a Nissan Versa sedan, was extracted from the car by the crowd, handcuffed, and severely beaten, as shown in a video posted online.
“When officers arrived, they found the driver being assaulted by bystanders and determined he had sustained a gunshot wound,” a police statement said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident “a heartbreaking tragedy.”
“The hearts of Angelenos are with all of the victims impacted this morning — a full investigation into what happened is underway,” she said in a statement.
The location of the car crash is near iconic Hollywood sites, including Sunset Boulevard and the Walk of Fame, a pathway featuring stars honouring figures from the film industry.
