Police arrest suspected gunman who shot at driver in Los Angeles nightclub crash

USA Today

2 days ago

Police have arrested a man suspected of opening fire at the driver accused of plowing his vehicle into a crowd and injuring dozens of people outside a popular Los Angeles nightclub in July.
Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested on Aug. 3 in Redondo Beach, a coastal city about 21 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. His arrest comes just days after police had identified Villalobos as the suspected gunman in the July 19 shooting.
In the early hours of July 19, a vehicle crashed into a packed crowd, leaving the Vermont Hollywood nightclub in the busy neighborhood of East Hollywood. After the crash, police said bystanders pulled the driver out of the vehicle and attacked him.
During the altercation, police said a man — later identified as Villalobos — approached the scene from across the street and shot the driver once in the lower back. The suspect then fled from the scene on foot and remained at large for about two weeks.
Villalobos was booked on suspicion of attempted murder without bail, police said in an updated statement on Aug. 4. They did not provide additional details on his arrest but said the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration.
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What happened in the East Hollywood car crash?
The chaotic scene unfolded at about 2 a.m. local time on July 19 as a crowd of patrons left the Vermont Hollywood, according to police. The driver, who was identified as Fernando Ramirez, 29, had been kicked out of the nightclub before returning minutes later and ramming his vehicle into the crowd, police and prosecutors said.
The car came to a stop after colliding with several food carts, which became lodged underneath the vehicle, according to police. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said 37 people were injured in the crash.
Injuries ranged from "minor abrasions to serious fractures and lacerations to broken bones," and several victims were briefly trapped beneath the car, according to authorities.
Ramirez was charged with 37 counts of attempted murder and 37 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, Hochman said. He faces multiple sentences of life in state prison if convicted on all counts.
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Arrest follows extensive search
Following the crash, police launched an extensive search for the man suspected of shooting Ramirez. On July 21, investigators asked for the public's help, releasing surveillance photos from cameras near the venue that showed the suspect wearing a blue Dodgers jacket, a light blue jersey with the number "5," and blue jeans.
Authorities had warned the public that the suspect was considered armed and dangerous, and urged the public to contact police with any information that could lead to his arrest.
"We understand the emotions involved, but when the threat had ended and the suspect was no longer actively harming others, the use of deadly force was both unlawful and dangerous to everybody present," Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a July 22 news conference.
On Aug. 1, police said the suspected gunman was identified as Villalobos, who was believed to be in the Redondo Beach area. He was described as a Hispanic man with a shaved head, brown eyes, 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighing about 160 pounds.
Police noted that Villalobos has "distinctive features," such as gauged piercings in both ears and multiple tattoos, including his last name on his right forearm, the phrase "respect is earned not given" on his inner right arm, and the name "Miabella" on his left inner arm.
Los Angeles police said investigators were working with the Redondo Beach Police Department to locate Villalobos. Redondo Beach police arrested him at around 1:15 p.m. local time on Aug. 3, and Los Angeles investigators took the suspect into custody.