LOS ANGELES (BN24) — A car crash that injured 30 people outside a crowded nightclub in East Hollywood early Saturday is now being investigated as a possible intentional act, according to Los Angeles police.
The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Santa Monica Boulevard when a grey Nissan Versa veered off the street, struck a taco cart, and then plowed into a crowd of people gathered outside the venue. Officials say at least seven victims remain in critical condition, while more than two dozen others suffered varying degrees of injury.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Adam Van Gerpen told NBC News that the vehicle appeared to have deliberately mounted the curb, adding to growing suspicion that the crash was not accidental.
The Los Angeles Police Department later identified the driver as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, who has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation, LAPD officials confirmed.
Moments after the crash, bystanders reportedly began assaulting Ramirez. Police said the driver was found with a gunshot wound that he sustained after the collision. LAPD is actively searching for the shooter, described as a 5-foot-9 Hispanic male, bald, and possibly armed with a silver revolver, who fled the scene on foot.
Sergeant Travis Ward told reporters that Ramirez was taken to a nearby hospital for surgery. Authorities have not yet determined whether he was under the influence at the time of the crash. As of Sunday, he remained hospitalized and had not been booked into jail.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic and terrifying scene. One man inside the nightclub told NBC News he heard a “loud bang” followed by what he believed were gunshots. When he looked outside, he saw the mangled car lodged in the crowd and victims scattered across the pavement.
“People were laying down, unconscious, bleeding out,” he said.
Photos from the scene show the heavily damaged Nissan on the sidewalk, surrounded by emergency personnel. The crash occurred in the 14.3-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard, a major artery that runs from the Santa Monica Pier through West Hollywood and into East Hollywood.
Police have not disclosed a motive but emphasized the seriousness of the charges as the investigation continues.
