Officials continue to search for a gunman who police say shot the man who intentionally drove into a crowd outside a popular East Hollywood music venue early Saturday, injuring dozens.
Officer Norma Eisenman, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson, said on Sunday that the gunman remained at large. He was last seen wearing a blue jersey and possibly armed with a silver revolver, fleeing west on Vermont Avenue, LAPD officials have said.
LAPD Capt. Ben Fernandes told ABC-7 News that as nightclub security attempted to detain the driver after he left behind a chaotic and bloody scene, another man came from across the street and shot the driver in the buttocks, injuring him.
The driver, identified by police as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, had been thrown out of the Vermont Hollywood club that night, before returning to the area in a vehicle around 2 a.m., according to LAPD. His vehicle hit street vendors and dozens of the late-night clubgoers, causing several medical emergencies and stoking fear and anger from the crowd.
Bystanders pulled the driver from his vehicle and attacked him — video showed Ramirez being punched and kicked — and, at some point, he was shot, LAPD officials said.
Ramirez, who is expected to face several felony charges, had recovered from surgery for his injuries and was in stable condition, Fernandes said.
Officials reported about 30 other people with injuries, including seven who were critically injured. At least 23 people were hospitalized. An LAPD spokesperson on Sunday said the agency did not have any update on the victims’ conditions.
Given the scale of the crowd, Fernandes said the incident could have easily spiraled into a mass casualty event.
“Quite honestly, I believe it is a miracle,” Fernandes told NBC-4 News.
One witness told ABC-7 News that he saw at least 30 people on the ground after the crash.
Another said it was “like a movie.”
“You see shoes flying, you see change, money, there’s hot dog stands that were outside the bar … they got hit,” the other unidentified witness told ABC-7 news.
Eduardo Lopez, who was working at his taco truck down the street from the nightclub early Saturday, said he heard the crash and the subsequent screams.
“I am worried,” he told NBC-4, describing his reaction. “The people run. A lot of people hurt.”
Just hours after more than 120 firefighters and paramedics responded to the horrific scene, the popular music venue remained eerily quiet.
Event organizers on Saturday canceled what was expected to be a sold-out show, citing the “unfortunate accident” from the night prior.
“The safety and enjoyment of our guests remain our top priority, and out of respect of the individuals impacted, … we believe it would be inappropriate to continue with tonight’s event,” musicians and organizers shared on Instagram on Saturday.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred early Saturday morning outside our venue,” the Vermont Hollywood club posted in a statement online and outside its doors. “We are working closely with law enforcement to ensure the person responsible for this horrific act is held fully accountable.”
On Friday night, the club was hosting the Trapeton Party, a recurring dance party that features reggaetón and hip-hop music and draws a predominantly Latino crowd. On Saturday, an electronic dance music set was planned, with the main artist posting online that they expected tickets to sell out — just before organizers decided to postpone the show. Organizers said tickets would be honored at a make-up date in August.
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.
