At least 30 people were injured in the early hours of Saturday, July 19, when chaos erupted outside The Vermont nightclub in East Hollywood after a man deliberately drove his car into a crowd.
Authorities say 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez had been ejected from the nightclub shortly before he returned behind the wheel of a Nissan Versa and barreled into a group of people gathered near a taco truck and valet stand. Investigators believe the attack was intentional.
The horrifying scene left seven victims in critical condition and six others seriously hurt. Many of those struck were women — a mix of clubgoers and food vendors simply going about their business.
The situation turned more violent after the crash, as enraged bystanders dragged Ramirez from the vehicle and physically assaulted him. In a shocking twist, an unidentified individual shot Ramirez before fleeing the scene. He survived the gunshot wound and is currently hospitalized under police custody.
Ramirez has been arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
Mayor Karen Bass condemned the incident, describing it as a “heartbreaking tragedy,” and vowed that authorities would fully investigate both the motive for the attack and the identity of the person who shot the suspect.
The LAPD continues to piece together the sequence of events and has appealed to the public for information as the community reels from one of the city’s most disturbing acts of violence in recent months.
