Car rams crowd in Los Angeles, injuring 30 people
Van Gerpen said that a line of people – the majority female – were waiting to enter a nightclub when they were struck by a Nissan Versa that also hit a taco truck and valet stand.
Paramedics discovered that one of the patients had a gunshot wound, Van Gerpen said. "This is under police investigation," he said. "This will be a large investigation with the LAPD."
People inside the club came out to help in the minutes before emergency crews arrived, he said, to help the victims. "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," he said. "The valet podium was taken out, the taco truck was taken out, and then a large number of people were impacted by the vehicle."
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France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Driver charged after plowing into Los Angeles nightclub crowd, injuring 30
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was charged on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokeswoman Rosario Cervantes told AFP. Ramirez had been "undergoing surgery" at a local hospital after suffering a gunshot wound from the incident. "He is not free to leave, he is in the custody of Los Angeles Police Department," LAPD Commander Lillian Carranza told local news station KCAL. Ramirez had been kicked out of The Vermont Hollywood nightclub in East Hollywood before he deliberately rammed his vehicle into the crowd, US media reported. Based on reviewing a video of the incident, "when he hit bystanders, it was an intentional act," the Los Angeles Times quoted LAPD Captain Ben Fernandes as saying. The crowd pulled Ramirez out of the car, reportedly a Nissan Versa sedan, and attacked him in the chaos that followed the car ramming, which took place around 2:00 am (0900 GMT), police detailed. Authorities were still searching for a gunman who shot and wounded the driver before fleeing on foot, Cervantes said. Footage posted on social media showed panicked people running outside the club and victims sprawled on a blood-stained sidewalk, while others sobbed nearby. "When officers arrived, they found the driver being assaulted by bystanders and determined he had sustained a gunshot wound," a police statement said. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene in East Hollywood. "We have 30 victims, 18 females and 12 males between the ages of the mid-twenties to early thirties," Carranza said. Seven were in critical condition and six were in serious condition, authorities said. Ten suffered minor injuries while seven left the hospital against medical advice. 'Heartbreaking tragedy' Many clubgoers were outside when the car plowed into the crowd, a taco truck and a valet stand. "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," Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Adam Van Gerpen told ABC News. "The valet podium was taken out, the taco truck was taken out, and then a large number of people were impacted by the vehicle." At dawn Saturday, a tow truck hauled away the car, its bumper torn off. Club employees power washed the sidewalk outside The Vermont Hollywood, which had been hosting a reggae and hip-hop event. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident "a heartbreaking tragedy." "The hearts of Angelenos are with all of the victims impacted this morning -- a full investigation into what happened is underway," she said in a statement. The Vermont Hollywood club said on social media it was "deeply saddened by the tragic incident." The area of the car ramming is near Hollywood landmarks including Sunset Boulevard and the Walk of Fame -- a sidewalk emblazoned with stars commemorating movie industry figures.
LeMonde
2 days ago
- LeMonde
Car rams crowd in Los Angeles, injuring 30 people
A vehicle rammed into a crowd of people waiting to enter a nightclub along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles early Saturday, July 19, injuring 30 people. Victims were transported to local hospitals and trauma centers, said Captain Adam Van Gerpen, public information officer for the Los Angeles City Fire Department. At least three were in critical condition after being injured along Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood, the Fire Department said in a statement. Van Gerpen said that a line of people – the majority female – were waiting to enter a nightclub when they were struck by a Nissan Versa that also hit a taco truck and valet stand. Paramedics discovered that one of the patients had a gunshot wound, Van Gerpen said. "This is under police investigation," he said. "This will be a large investigation with the LAPD." People inside the club came out to help in the minutes before emergency crews arrived, he said, to help the victims. "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," he said. "The valet podium was taken out, the taco truck was taken out, and then a large number of people were impacted by the vehicle."
AFP
17-06-2025
- AFP
Kneeling officer clip misrepresented as footage from 'No Kings' protest
"UNACCEPTABLE: LAPD Officers Take a Knee to Rioters During 'No Kings' Protest in Los Angeles," claims the caption of a June 15, 2025 video posted to X. In the clip, a policeman in a helmet and face covering takes a knee . A fellow officer then follows suit. Different versions of the footage, accompanied by the claim it was filmed during the weekend of June 15, spread on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and was viewed tens of thousands of times. Some of the posts reacted positively, while other users claimed it showed the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was not taking a strong enough stance against the alleged "chaos" of the protests. "Two LAPD officers were caught kneeling to the mob -- not to de-escalate, not to protect peace -- but to submit to an anti-American protest calling to abolish law, order, and the Constitution itself," a caption which repeatedly circulated with the clip says. Image Screenshot of an X post taken June 17, 2025 Image Screenshot of a Facebook reel taken June 17, 2025 Anti-deportation protests broke out on June 6 in Los Angeles. Local officials said the demonstrations were largely peaceful and confined to a small downtown section of the city, but some protesters were seen throwing rocks and torching self-driving Waymo cars while law enforcement responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. Following a week of continued turmoil, a series of previously planned "No Kings" protests decrying presidential overreach took place across the country, including in Los Angeles. While police were present at the June 15 demonstrations, the video of the officers kneeling to a crowd was taken more than five years ago. the earliest available versions of the clip June 1, 2020 (archived here and here) with captions mentioning protests following the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man. Media reported on the incident that same day, showing the scene from a different angle. The 2020 protests focused on calls for reform of the criminal justice system's treatment of Black people and several other outlets reported on police departments performing the same kneeling gesture across the country at around the same time, attempting to show solidarity with demonstrators. The kneeling symbol is strongly associated with advocacy against racism and police brutality after being thrust into the spotlight by former National Football League quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016. Images from the 2020 protests are frequently misrepresented as legitimate footage from charged events. AFP has previously debunked misinformation around the Los Angeles protests using incorrectly labeled images and researchers said disinformation has also been amplified by foreign adversaries. After a day of mostly calm protests on June 15, 2025, police unexpectedly began moving people away from the Los Angeles protest area, igniting confusion and anger from demonstrators. Police said a "small group of agitators" had thrown rocks, bottle and fireworks at officers, prompting the force to deploy tear gas and flash bangs to try to disperse the crowd. Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation in the United States here.
