Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images
Los Angeles police are searching for a suspect who shot a driver after he allegedly drove into a crowd outside an East Hollywood nightclub on Saturday night (July 19). The incident injured over 30 people, including clubgoers, valet attendants, and food vendors. The driver, identified as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, reportedly plowed into the crowd after being kicked out of The Vermont Hollywood nightclub around 2 a.m. Investigators suspect that revenge, fueled by anger and alcohol, may have motivated the ramming.
In the chaotic aftermath, bystanders pulled Ramirez from his car and began attacking him. During this time, an unidentified man approached and shot Ramirez in the buttocks before fleeing the scene. The shooter is described as a bald Hispanic man, approximately 5'6" tall and weighing between 150 and 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a blue Dodgers jacket, a light blue jersey with the number five, and blue jeans.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has released a photo of the suspect and is urging anyone with information to come forward. All individuals injured in the crash, including Ramirez, are in stable condition and expected to survive. Toxicology tests will determine if Ramirez was under the influence of alcohol during the incident. He faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon and could be charged with DUI if his blood alcohol level was above the legal limit.