 "Photo from the incident site. (Source: X)")
At least 30 people sustained injuries, some critical, after an “unknown vehicle” ploughed into a crowd in East Hollywood in Los Angeles early Saturday (July 19). LA Fire Department reported the incident from the West Santa Monica Boulevard, a music venue.
First responders said at least four to five were in critical condition and more than a dozen in fair condition.
The incident happened around 2:00 am local time.
Videos shared across social media showed the mangled wreckage of a grey car scattered across the road, surrounded by debris outside the Vermont nightclub. Dozens of firefighters and police officers were seen working at the crash site.
A witness inside the nightclub was quoted by NBC News as saying that a “loud bang” startled the crowd, who ducked thinking it was gunfire.
“We look out the club, and it’s a car into the hole right there,” he said.
“And then it’s crazy, because people everywhere, laying down, unconscious, people, bleeding out and stuff.”
Sgt. Ward said it’s too soon to determine whether the crash was intentional or if the driver simply lost control, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
Captain Adam VanGerpen, the LA Fire Department’s public information officer, told NBC News that the vehicle struck a taco cart before crashing into a large group of people outside the nightclub.