Driver who plowed into L.A. crowd leaving 30 injured, 7 critically, is shot after being attacked by bystanders

The vehicle hit a crowd outside a club on Santa Monica Boulevard early Saturday morning, and it appears to have been intentional, according to the LAPD.

An vehicle is being taken away after it drove into a crowd on July 19 in Los Angeles.Robyn Beck / AFP - Getty Images

A violent and harrowing scene unfolded early Saturday morning in East Hollywood when a man drove into a crowd of people gathered outside a Los Angeles nightclub, injuring at least 30 individuals — seven of them critically — before being pulled from his vehicle, assaulted, and shot by bystanders, according to police.

The incident occurred just after 2 a.m. near the intersection of Vermont Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, where officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon. When they arrived, they found the suspect — later identified as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez — already being attacked by individuals at the scene. Ramirez had sustained a gunshot wound and was rushed to a hospital for surgery.

According to initial findings, authorities believe the vehicle attack was intentional. Surveillance footage from the surrounding area is still being reviewed as part of an active and evolving investigation.

Two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter said Ramirez had been removed from the club prior to the incident due to intoxicated and disruptive behavior. He now faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon, though police have yet to book him formally given his medical condition.

Sgt. Travis Ward of the LAPD said the suspect's blood alcohol level has not yet been determined due to his immediate need for surgery following the shooting. The LAPD also released a description of the person suspected of shooting Ramirez: a Hispanic male, roughly 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing around 180 pounds, bald, wearing a blue jersey, and reportedly armed with a silver revolver. The suspect fled westbound on foot from the scene and remains at large.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooter to come forward.

The crash took place just outside The Vermont Hollywood, a prominent venue known for hosting concerts, wrestling events, and Grammy after-parties. In a statement, the club confirmed the incident occurred outside the premises following an event, and pledged cooperation with law enforcement.

"We are working closely with police to ensure that the individual responsible is brought to justice," the statement read.

Eyewitness photos showed the aftermath of the impact: a gray sedan with extensive front-end damage lodged on the sidewalk, surrounded by shattered debris and stunned pedestrians. Emergency personnel — more than 120 responders from the L.A. Fire Department — attended to the injured, many of whom were seen lying on the pavement, some bleeding and visibly in distress.

Videos from the scene captured the horrifying moments that followed the crash. People screamed, fled, or rushed to help the wounded. One visibly injured woman, her leg covered in blood, said she had lost feeling in both limbs. Another video shows the suspected driver being forcibly removed from the vehicle by furious onlookers, one of whom kicked him in the head while another hurled a condiment at him as he lay restrained on the ground.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that in addition to the seven people in critical condition, six were classified as seriously injured, and another 10 had less severe injuries. Seven others declined treatment at the scene. Victims ranged in age from their mid-20s to early 30s and included 18 women and 12 men.

Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center received several patients, all of whom were treated for minor injuries and listed in stable condition. The hospital did not disclose how many individuals it admitted.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass addressed the tragedy in a statement released Saturday, calling it a "heartbreaking" incident and pledging a thorough investigation. “The hearts of Angelenos are with all of the victims impacted this morning,” she said.

A clubgoer who witnessed the chaos firsthand said the atmosphere quickly turned from celebration to panic.

“I heard a loud bang, and everyone ducked. We thought it was gunshots,” he said. “Then we looked outside and saw a car just sitting in the middle of everything — people lying on the ground, bleeding, not moving. It was horrifying.”

Capt. Adam VanGerpen of the L.A. Fire Department said the vehicle struck a taco stand before barreling into the crowd. Officials are still piecing together exactly how events unfolded, but all indications suggest a deliberate act of violence.

As the investigation continues, police are asking anyone with footage or knowledge of the events surrounding the crash — particularly the identity of the individual who shot the suspect — to come forward.