A horrific scene unfolded in the heart of Los Angeles early Saturday morning, when a vehicle plowed into a crowd outside a popular nightclub, leaving 30 people injured — seven of them critically.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. near The Vermont nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard. Eyewitnesses say the car struck a food truck, veered into a stand, and finally hit a large group of patrons gathered outside the venue.
In a shocking turn of events, bystanders dragged the driver out of the vehicle and shot him, police confirmed in a press release. The shooter, described as a bald Hispanic man wearing a blue shirt and possibly armed with a silver revolver, fled the scene on foot and remains at large.
The injured driver was taken into custody and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery for gunshot wounds. His condition is stable, and he is expected to face attempted murder charges pending the investigation.
Law enforcement officials are investigating the cause of the incident. One senior police source told CNN the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement calling the event a “heartbreaking tragedy,” assuring that a full investigation is underway. “Our hearts are with all the victims and their families,” she said.
Footage posted on social media shows emergency responders attending to injured individuals and streets cordoned off with debris scattered across the pavement. Police are appealing for any witnesses or footage from the scene to assist in the ongoing investigation.
