A DRIVER intentionally drove into a crowd of club-goers in Los Angeles, police said.
Fernando Ramirez, 29, had been kicked out of The Vermont Hollywood nightclub in the early hours of Saturday for causing a disturbance.
But he returned moments later and allegedly drove into the crowd deliberately and injuring at least 30 people, according to cops.
Ramirez was dragged from the car, handcuffed by security, beaten by furious bystanders, and then shot in the back by a man who fled the scene, police said.
He was arrested on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, according to LAPD spokesperson Officer Rosario Cervantes.
The suspected gunman, who was seen fleeing westbound from Vermont Avenue, is still on the loose, the LA Times reported.
Police described him as a Latino male at 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 180 pounds, wearing a blue jersey, and potentially carrying a silver revolver.
Emergency services descended on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood after a car smashed into a queue of people waiting to go into a nightclub, with the suspected driver kicked out the club prior to the smash.
A total of 23 people were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment, cops said.
Paramedics found the driver of the car with a gunshot wound, according to LA police, who said they were actively searching for the gunman.
The driver was reportedly pulled from the car and attacked by the crowd in the moments after the collision.
LAPD Captain Ben Fernandes said the suspected driver was chucked out of the club for being disruptive before getting in his car and hitting bystanders in “an intentional act”.
He told the LA Times: “From review of the video, he went up to the sidewalk further down and when he hit bystanders it was an intentional act.
“He was pulled from the car, handcuffed by security and then beaten by bystanders before being shot in the back by an individual from across the street.”
A video circulating on social media appears to show the alleged driver – who is handcuffed – being beaten by survivors of the LA crash.
Cops had previously said the unidentified suspect was dragged from his car and suffered a gunshot wound.
Officials are yet to confirm whether he was shot by a member of the public or by authorities.
Captain Van Gerpen said the driver had “lost consciousness” – though it’s unclear how.
Shocking footage from the scene showed people lying in the road near a smashed-up grey car on the sidewalk outside The Vermont Hollywood.
Video shows wounded pedestrians receiving treatment from hero bystanders – while others stand back with their heads in their hands.
Debris was seen strewn across the street as paramedics raced to help the injured.
Dramatic images showed red sirens lighting up the sky – with a heavy presence of fire and police vehicles.
Bystanders were seen gathering at a nearby gas station during the chaos.
Police had reportedly received a 911 call about reports of shots fired during a fight involving 15 people.
LA Fire Department captain Adam Van Gerpen, one of 124 firefighters at the scene, said there were 31 people injured in the smash, 23 of which were taken to hospital.
He said: “They were all standing in line going into a nightclub. There was a taco cart out there, so they were… getting some food, waiting to go in.
“And there’s also a valet line there. The valet podium was taken out, the taco truck was taken out, and then a large number of people were impacted by the vehicle.”
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/14760892/injured-vehicle-ploughs-crowd-los-angeles/
