Latest news with #EfrainVillalobos
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Driver rammed into crowd outside Hollywood club, then was shot. Alleged shooter now under arrest
Police have arrested a man accused of shooting the driver who allegedly rammed into a crowd of people outside an East Hollywood nightclub last month, injuring dozens. Fernando Ramirez, 29, of San Clemente, was thrown out of the Vermont Hollywood nightclub on July 19 and returned in a car around 2 a.m., allegedly plowing his Nissan sedan into a crowd of street vendors and pedestrians before his vehicle slammed into food carts and finally came to a stop, according to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman. Ramirez was then pulled from the car and punched and kicked by bystanders, authorities said. As nightclub security guards tried to detain Ramirez, Efrain Villalobos, a Lawndale resident, allegedly approached from across the street and shot Ramirez once in the lower back before fleeing, police said. More than two weeks later, Villalobos has been arrested. He was taken into custody Sunday around 1:15 p.m. by officers from the Redondo Beach Police Department, according to L.A. police. After the shooting, police released video surveillance images and a physical description of the shooter and asked the public's help in identifying him. Police did not say whether a tip from the public led to Villalobos' arrest. Read more: Police search for man suspected of shooting driver who slammed into crowd outside East Hollywood club Villalobos was booked on an attempted murder charge and was being held without bail, police said. At least 36 people were injured in the incident, some of whom were trapped under the car until authorities arrived, Hochman said. Eight of the victims suffered 'serious fractures, lacerations and broken bones.' Ramirez faces life in prison if convicted as charged, according to Hochman. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Police arrest man suspected of shooting driver who crashed into an LA crowd
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have arrested the man suspected of shooting the driver who rammed his car into a crowd outside a Los Angeles nightclub last month. The car crashed into a crowd of patrons leaving the Vermont Hollywood venue in the early hours of July 19 along a busy boulevard in East Hollywood, leading bystanders to attack the driver, authorities said. The driver was later found to have been shot in the lower back and the suspect escaped on foot, according to police. Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Redondo Beach, about 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) south of LA. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder without bail. A phone number for Villalobos or family members could not be found in an online database search and the public defender's office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The driver, 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was initially taken to a hospital. His car came to a stop after colliding with several food carts, which became lodged underneath the vehicle. Some people were briefly trapped beneath the vehicle, police said. At least 23 people were taken to the hospital, with injuries ranging from minor pain to serious fractures and lacerations. Police have not released information on whether Villalobos knew the driver, or what the driver's motive was in the crash. Ramirez was charged with 37 felony counts of attempted murder and 37 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he could face multiple sentences of life imprisonment.
The Independent
7 days ago
- The Independent
Police arrest man suspected of shooting driver who crashed into an LA crowd
Police have arrested the man suspected of shooting the driver who rammed his car into a crowd outside a Los Angeles nightclub last month. The car crashed into a crowd of patrons leaving the Vermont Hollywood venue in the early hours of July 19 along a busy boulevard in East Hollywood, leading bystanders to attack the driver, authorities said. The driver was later found to have been shot in the lower back and the suspect escaped on foot, according to police. Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Redondo Beach, about 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) south of LA. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder without bail. A phone number for Villalobos or family members could not be found in an online database search and the public defender's office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The driver, 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was initially taken to a hospital. His car came to a stop after colliding with several food carts, which became lodged underneath the vehicle. Some people were briefly trapped beneath the vehicle, police said. At least 23 people were taken to the hospital, with injuries ranging from minor pain to serious fractures and lacerations. Police have not released information on whether Villalobos knew the driver, or what the driver's motive was in the crash. Ramirez was charged with 37 felony counts of attempted murder and 37 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he could face multiple sentences of life imprisonment.
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Associated Press
Police arrest man suspected of shooting driver who crashed into an LA crowd
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police have arrested the man suspected of shooting the driver who rammed his car into a crowd outside a Los Angeles nightclub last month. The car crashed into a crowd of patrons leaving the Vermont Hollywood venue in the early hours of July 19 along a busy boulevard in East Hollywood, leading bystanders to attack the driver, authorities said. The driver was later found to have been shot in the lower back and the suspect escaped on foot, according to police. Efrain Villalobos, 28, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Redondo Beach, about 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) south of LA. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder without bail. A phone number for Villalobos or family members could not be found in an online database search and the public defender's office did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The driver, 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was initially taken to a hospital. His car came to a stop after colliding with several food carts, which became lodged underneath the vehicle. Some people were briefly trapped beneath the vehicle, police said. At least 23 people were taken to the hospital, with injuries ranging from minor pain to serious fractures and lacerations. Police have not released information on whether Villalobos knew the driver, or what the driver's motive was in the crash. Ramirez was charged with 37 felony counts of attempted murder and 37 felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon. If convicted, he could face multiple sentences of life imprisonment.
New York Post
04-08-2025
- New York Post
Alleged gunman who shot driver accused of plowing into a crowd outside Hollywood nightclub has been arrested
The alleged gunman who shot the driver suspected of plowing his car into a crowd standing outside an East Hollywood nightclub last month has been arrested. Efrain Villalobos, 38, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon at a home in Redondo Beach, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. On Friday, police released images of the suspected gunman wearing a blue Dodgers jacket, a light blue jersey with the number five, and blue jeans and asked the public for help identifying him. Advertisement 3 Alleged gunman, Efrain Villalobos, who shot the driver suspected of plowing his car into a crowd standing outside an East Hollywood nightclub last month, has been arrested. Los Angeles Police Department Law enforcement said the suspected gunman is 'facing serious felony charges with the shooting' of Fernando Ramirez. Villalobos' case is expected to be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing in the coming days. Advertisement The Post has reached out to the LAPD for comment. Villalobos allegedly shot Ramirez, 29, moments after he allegedly drove his car into a large crowd gathered outside of the Vermont Hollywood on July 19. Ramirez had been kicked out of the nightclub for being disruptive and returned to the scene in his car, driving into the crowd. 3 Members of emergency services work at the scene after a vehicle plunged into a crowd outside a nightclub, on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on July 19, 2025. AXN NEWS via REUTERS Advertisement 3 A vehicle sits on the sidewalk after ramming into a crowd of people waiting to enter a nightclub along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles early Saturday, July 19, 2025, injuring several people. AP Seven of the victims were in critical condition after the incident. Following the crash, video shows bystanders pulling Ramirez from his Nissan Versa — then punching and kicking him, further escalating the situation. Moments later, a man came from across the street and shot the suspect and fled the scene. Advertisement Ramirez was taken to a local hospital in stable condition and treated for a gunshot wound to his buttocks. He has since been released and is facing 74 criminal charges, including 37 counts of attempted murder in the incident, CBS News reported. Ramirez has remained behind bars since his arrest and is being held on a $37 million bail.
