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Driver slams into crowd outside Hollywood nightclub, critically injuring 7 and wounding more than 20 others

Richard Winton, Laurence Darmiento, Rebecca Ellis and Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times on

Published in News & Features

LOS ANGELES — A patron who had been tossed out of a popular East Hollywood nightclub early Saturday later intentionally smashed his car into a crowd outside the venue, injuring 30 people — including seven critically — before being pulled out of his vehicle and shot by a bystander, police said.

The gray Nissan Versa drove onto the sidewalk and hit a valet stand and taco stand before slamming into a light standard, creating a scene of total chaos among clubgoers who had congregated outside The Vermont Hollywood club.

Video taken just moments after the crash and posted on Instagram showed multiple people dressed for a night out lying bloodied, dazed and moaning on the ground.

“He just smacked everybody bro,” a voice cries out, inquiring of women lying on the ground: “Can you feel your legs, ladies?”

LAPD Captain Ben Fernandes said the suspect was kicked out of the nightclub at 1020 Vermont Ave. for being disruptive before he crashed into the crowd.

“From review of the video he went up to the sidewalk further down and when he hit bystanders it was an intentional act,” Fernandes said. “He was pulled from the car, handcuffed by security and then beaten by bystanders before being shot in the back by an individual from across the street.”

The video shows the man being pulled out of his car by multiple bystanders. Dressed in jeans, a black shirt and white Nikes, he is later seen lying handcuffed face down on the sidewalk, where he was kicked in the head.

On a typical weekend night, the street outside The Vermont is thrumming with clubgoers filtering in and out of the venue.

“It was a large chaotic scene,” said Adam VanGerpen, a spokesperson with the L.A. City Fire Department, who arrived at the crash site around 3 a.m. “People were just waiting in line, getting some tacos and going into the club.”

Authorities immediately set up red, green and yellow triage tents for 30 injured people, most of whom were taken to the hospital, VanGerpen said.

 

The club was hosting the Trapeton Party, a recurring dance party that features reggaetón and hip-hop music and draws a predominantly Latino crowd.

The driver was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery and is now in stable condition, Fernandes said. His name is being withheld until booking. Twenty-three people also were hospitalized, with several area hospitals accepting the wounded, a fire official said.

The suspected gunman was seen fleeing westbound from Vermont Avenue. He was described by police as a Latino male, 5 feet 9, 180 pounds, wearing a blue jersey and possibly armed with a silver revolver.

Some 124 firefighters and paramedics responded to the chaotic scene.

Jewelry vendor Jennifer Garcia, 53, said that when she arrived around 3 a.m. to set up for the block’s weekend flea market, she saw the driver’s car in the middle of the sidewalk and had to move her stall from its usual spot outside the Vermont.

“I usually am right in front of the club,” said Garcia. “But I came and I saw all these fire trucks and I was like, what is wrong?”

Later Saturday morning, the street had returned to normal with the flea market taking over some of the block — but telltale signs of the crash remained, including a pool of blood, a lone woman’s shoe and Lime e-bike that had been knocked over.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy. I want to thank the more than 100 LAFD and LAPD personnel who responded to the scene to help to save lives,” Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.


©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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