LOS ANGELES — A night out turned to chaos early Saturday when a car barreled into a crowd waiting outside a nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood, injuring at least 30 people — including three critically — in what authorities are calling a “major incident.”
The crash occurred shortly after midnight as dozens of people, mostly women, stood in line near a taco cart and valet stand outside the busy venue. According to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Adam Van Gerpen, the vehicle — identified as a Nissan Versa — struck the crowd, a taco truck, and the club’s valet podium before coming to a stop on the sidewalk.
Emergency crews rushed the injured to nearby hospitals and trauma centers. Paramedics responding to the scene also discovered that one of the victims had suffered a gunshot wound, though the circumstances surrounding the injury remain unclear. Authorities have not yet identified that individual.
“The victims were just standing in line, getting food, waiting to go into the club,” Van Gerpen told The Associated Press. “Then this vehicle came through and took out everything in its path — the taco cart, the valet area, and dozens of people.”
Bystanders, including patrons from inside the nightclub, rushed to assist the injured before emergency responders arrived. Witnesses described a scene of panic and confusion, with some people pinned beneath the vehicle.
The incident has sparked a full-scale investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Officials have not released information about the driver or any possible motive, and it remains unknown whether the crash was intentional.
“This will be a large investigation with the LAPD,” Van Gerpen confirmed.
Further details are expected as authorities continue to gather evidence and interview witnesses.
