(ktla) — A confrontation outside a downtown Redlands bar spiraled into violence early Saturday when a driver allegedly returned to the scene in a car and struck four people standing on the street, authorities said. Gunfire erupted moments later, sending bystanders scrambling for cover.
The incident unfolded just before 1:30 a.m. along East Citrus Avenue in front of the Redlands Underground Restaurant and Bar, located at 19 E. Citrus Ave., police said.
Investigators with the Redlands Police Department said an altercation broke out among several individuals outside the business. During the dispute, one of those involved left the area in a 2022 Tesla. Minutes later, the vehicle reappeared and accelerated into a group gathered in the street, striking four people.
Police indicated the force of the collision caused the driver to lose control and crash into a curb before fleeing westbound on Citrus Avenue. Authorities said the vehicle left behind a trail of leaking fluids as it sped away.
The four victims were transported to local hospitals with major injuries. Their identities and current conditions have not been publicly released.
As the crash unfolded, an unidentified individual opened fire. Officers said several rounds were discharged, damaging the window of one business and the door of another nearby storefront. No gunshot victims were located.
Television station KTLA cited witnesses who described a chaotic scene that escalated rapidly from a street argument into a violent crash and gunfire.
Crystal Cherpin, who recorded part of the episode on her cellphone, said she and friends were returning to their vehicles after a night of karaoke at a nearby venue when they heard raised voices along the street.
“There was a large crowd out there,” Cherpin said in footage shared publicly. “From one second to another, just chaos.”
Video captured by Cherpin shows people scattering as a vehicle drives into the crowd. Moments later, multiple gunshots can be heard as individuals rush to take cover.
Cherpin said she had initially taken out her phone lightheartedly after overhearing the dispute. “I just pulled out my cellphone — I’m like, I’m going to get some tea, share it with my friends,” she said. “I had no idea that’s what I was going to catch.”
She described the emotional aftermath as disorienting. After returning home, she said she feared she may have been shot amid the confusion.
“I woke up my husband, and I think I got shot,” Cherpin recounted. “We did a body check, everything was fine. I think it was just the stiffness of driving home, the shock, the adrenaline dump.”
The disturbance marked the latest episode of violence tied to the city’s nightlife district, local business owners said.
Bruno Bianchi, whose Performance Fitness Studio sits adjacent to the bar, said weekend disturbances have become a recurring concern. He described prior incidents that resulted in property damage, including a fight that sent a person crashing through a window at his business.
“The city, I think they should take this seriously,” Bianchi said. “I don’t know what’s the level of escalation we need to get to be heard.”
Authorities have not disclosed whether the driver and the individual who fired the shots are the same person. Investigators are working to determine the sequence of events and identify all suspects involved.
Detectives urged anyone with information about the crash or shooting to contact Detective Thomas Williams at (909) 557-6814 or by email at tw*******@re************.org .
No arrests had been announced as of Monday.
The episode has renewed scrutiny of late-night activity in the downtown corridor, where a cluster of bars and restaurants attracts large crowds on weekends. While the area remains a popular destination, residents and business operators have increasingly voiced concerns over altercations spilling into public streets.
Public safety experts note that incidents involving vehicles driven into crowds often carry the potential for mass casualties, even when not premeditated as acts of terrorism. In many such cases nationwide, confrontations or impulsive actions escalate into life-threatening events within seconds.
The presence of gunfire compounded the risk in Redlands, creating multiple overlapping hazards for bystanders. Though no one was struck by bullets in this case, investigators will likely examine whether the shots were fired in response to the crash or represented a separate act of violence.
City officials have not yet announced whether additional patrols or enforcement measures will be implemented in response to the incident.
For now, the focus remains on locating the driver and identifying the shooter. The investigation continues as police review surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts to piece together the sequence that transformed a street argument into a scene of shattered storefronts, injured victims and lingering fear along Citrus Avenue.
