Man, 29, Arrested for Allegedly Driving a Car into Los Angeles Crowd, Injuring 30 People
A man has been arrested after police said he drove into a crowd of people outside a Los Angeles nightclub, injuring 30, on July 19
Fernando Ramirez, 29, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon
The suspect is currently "in stable condition" at a hospital after the incidentA man has been arrested after police said he drove into a Los Angeles crowd and injured at least 30 people this weekend.
After a vehicle plowed into the large group on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Calif., around 2:00 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 19, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) identified the driver of the vehicle as Fernando Ramirez, according to multiple outlets, including CNN, ABC affiliate KABC and CBS News.
LAPD Cmdr. Lillian Carranza told reporters, in footage shared by NBC News, that Ramirez, 29, was "surrounded by a number of individuals who pulled him out of the car" after he struck the crowd.
"Somebody in that crowd reportedly shot the driver," she said. "So the driver was transported to the hospital, and he's undergoing surgery, but he's also in stable condition."
Ramirez was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to CBS News and KABC. Carranza also told reporters, per footage shared by KCAL, that authorities are considering charging him with attempted murder.
Both CBS News and KABC reported that the suspect's charges will be decided by the district attorney.
The LAPD and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office (LADA) did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for further information on Sunday, July 20.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The LAPD confirmed on Facebook on July 19 that, upon arriving at the scene, authorities found the driver "being assaulted by bystanders" and determined he sustained a gunshot wound.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) reported that there were 30 victims in total — including seven in critical condition, six in serious condition, 10 in fair condition and seven patients who "refused transport," per the LAPD.
"The suspect who shot the driver fled the scene on foot and was last seen heading westbound from Vermont Avenue," the LAPD said, adding that the man was "possibly armed with a silver revolver."
Photos from the scene show a vehicle near the Vermont Hollywood nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard with police tape surrounding it.
According to KABC, which cited the LAPD, the situation took place after club security escorted a man out of Vermont Hollywood. Minutes later, the car was driven into the crowd.
"They were all standing in line going into a nightclub. There was a taco cart out there, so they were ... getting some food, waiting to go in. And there's also a valet line there," LAFD Capt. Adam Van Gerpen told KABC.
"The valet podium was taken out, the taco truck was taken out, and then a large number of people were impacted by the vehicle," he continued.
Most of the victims struck by the car were female, the Associated Press reported.
In a statement shared on Instagram on July 19, Vermont Hollywood said it was "deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred ... after the conclusion of an event and as patrons were exiting."
"The suspect was immediately taken into custody by the LAPD, and an investigation is currently underway. We are working closely with law enforcement to ensure the person responsible for this horrific act is held fully accountable," the statement continued.
"We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to the first responders for their swift and compassionate action in assisting those affected," concluded the club's statement.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
21 minutes ago
- CBS News
Woman with prior theft convictions arrested at Livermore outlets for alleged retail theft, police say
A woman was arrested at the San Francisco Premium Outlets shopping center in Livermore on Monday, suspected in a series of retail thefts, police said. The Livermore Police Department said in social media posts that officers responded at 11 a.m. to reports of a woman suspected of theft and spotted carrying bags to a U-Haul parked at the outlets. Officers looked inside the van and saw dozens of boxes of shoes and piles of suspected stolen clothing in plain view, police said. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Lashay Dodds of San Francisco, had just stolen from The Children's Place store at the mall and had multiple prior theft convictions, according to the post. Dodds was in possession of the keys to the U-Haul, which police said was fraudulently rented using a fake Nevada ID and credit card. U-Haul had confirmed the van was stolen, and the company reported it to the Dublin Police Department, police said. Dodds was arrested and booked into Santa Rita Jail on charges of stolen vehicle possession, petty theft, and petty theft with prior convictions. Police said the recovered merchandise included items from Nike, Adidas, Marshalls, UGG, Timberland, and Bath & Body Works.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Sparks head coach fumes after another sex toy is thrown on WNBA court in game against Fever: ‘It's stupid'
The Los Angeles Sparks were the latest home team to see an obscene object being thrown on to the court during a game, an act that prompted a furious reaction from head coach Lynne Roberts. The WNBA has seen multiple games where a green sex toy has been launched on the court during games, resulting in at least one fan being arrested. Tuesday night's game between the Sparks and the Indiana Fever saw a repeat of the incident when the object was thrown on the court near Fever guard Sophie Cunningham late in the second quarter. Cunningham, who had earlier lashed out on social media over the seemingly viral trend, jumped back in surprise as Sparks star Kelsey Plum kicked the object off the court. "I thought we did a great job, Indiana included, just playing on," Plum told reporters after the game. "Don't give it any attention. The refs, I really appreciate them too." But Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts expressed her frustration with the repeated attacks. "I think it's ridiculous. It's dumb. It's stupid," she said plainly. "We take – it's also dangerous. Player safety is No. 1, respecting the game, all those things. I think it's really stupid. That's all I'm going to say." The WNBA announced last week that at least one person who allegedly threw one of the objects on the court during an Atlanta Dream game has been arrested and will face a minimum one-year ban for it. "The safety and well-being of everyone in our arenas is a top priority for our league. Objects of any kind thrown onto the court or in the seating area can pose a safety risk for players, game officials, and fans," the league said in a statement. "In line with WNBA Arena Security Standards, any fan who intentionally throws an object onto the court will be immediately ejected and face a minimum one-year ban in addition to being subject to arrest and prosecution by local authorities." Sex toys have been thrown at multiple WNBA games, including a Chicago Sky game on Friday. According to social media posts, additional sex toys were thrown during games in New York and Phoenix, none of which reached the courts.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Videos show immigration operation near Los Angeles Home Depot following court order placing restrictions on raids
Videos show U.S. border patrol agents conducting an immigration operation near a Home Depot in the Westlake District Wednesday morning, following a court order placing restrictions on raids. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli shared a video from Fox News that showed a border patrol agent detaining individuals during the operation. Essayli commented on the video saying, "For those who thought immigration enforcement had stopped in Southern California, think again. The enforcement of federal law is not negotiable, and there are no sanctuaries from the reach of the federal government." Another video posted to the Citizen app appears to show several trucks pulling into the parking lot of the Home Depot and beginning to detain several individuals. Border patrol agents also appeared to be coming out of the back of a yellow Penske box truck. "Penske Truck Rental is aware of recent reports and videos regarding a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation in Los Angeles," the company said in a statement regarding the incident. "The company was not made aware that its trucks would be used in today's operation and did not authorize this. Penske will reach out to DHS and reinforce its policy to avoid improper use of its vehicles in the future." The company added that it strictly prohibits the transportation of people in "the "cargo area of its vehicles under any circumstances." CBS Los Angeles has reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for a comment on the incident and is waiting for a response. The office of Mayor Karen Bass also released a statement claiming that federal agents are now using rental trucks to conduct their raids. "The City is gathering information about these reported raids and considering all legal options," Bass' office said. "Tactics like this are un-American and we will never accept these terrorizing ploys as a new normal." It is unclear how many people were detained during the operation. This operation comes almost a week after an appeals court agreed with a lower court judge keeping restrictions on "roving" immigration raids in the Los Angeles area. The panel of judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit largely denied the Trump administration's request to suspend the lower court's ruling, which requires immigration officials to have reasonable suspicion that someone is in the U.S. illegally before detaining them. The initial court order from U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong prohibited federal agents from basing arrests on people's occupation, race or ethnicity, the fact that they may have an accent or speak Spanish, or their presence in a location. "The Federal court of appeals made clear that it is unconstitutional in this country to racially profile people and snatch them from worksites," Bass' office said.
