Los Angeles: Driver crashes into crowd, dozens injured
A driver crashed into a crowd in East Hollywood, injuring over two dozen people.
- A manhunt was underway for the person who shot the suspect after the crash.
Surveillance video indicates a driver intentionally crashed into a crowd on a Los Angeles street, injuring more than two dozen people before he was pulled from the vehicle by bystanders, beaten and shot, authorities said.
Los Angeles Police Department Officer Norma Eisenman told USA TODAY the suspected driver, Fernando Ramirez, was booked for assault with a deadly weapon likely to produce great bodily injury. Ramirez, 29, was hospitalized in critical condition, police said.
A manhunt was underway for the shooter, described by police as a Hispanic male, about 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, bald, wearing a blue jersey and possibly armed with a silver revolver, police said.
The chaotic scene unfolded Saturday at around 2 a.m. in East Hollywood as people spilled out from the Vermont Hollywood nightclub. Police said the suspect had been kicked out of the club and minutes later returned, driving his vehicle onto the sidewalk and ramming into the packed crowd.
“When you review the video, it’s clear that he drove that vehicle down a sidewalk and around a bus. It was an intentional act,” LAPD Capt. Ben Fernandes told KABC-TV. Fernandes said club security was attempting to detain the suspect when someone “came from across the street, armed with a firearm, and then shot our suspect in the buttocks.”
The police statement said officers arrived at the scene to find the driver being assaulted by bystanders and determined he had sustained a gunshot wound.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said seven people, including the suspect, were in critical condition; six are listed in serious condition, while 10 are in fair condition. Another seven patients refused transport after being treated or assessed for injuries at the scene, the department said in a statement.Â
The club issued a statement saying its staff was “deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred early Saturday morning outside our venue.” The statement said that at about 2 a.m., as patrons were leaving, “a driver veered onto the sidewalk and struck multiple individuals.”
The statement said the staff was working closely with law enforcement to ensure “the person responsible for this horrific act” was held accountable.
“We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to the first responders for their swift and compassionate action in assisting those affected,” the statement concluded.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci
