Daijiworld Media Network – Los Angeles

Los Angeles, Jul 20: A horrific scene unfolded early Saturday on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood when a car rammed into a crowd waiting to enter a live music venue, leaving 30 people injured and prompting chaos as bystanders attacked the driver.

Los Angeles police said the crash occurred outside Vermont Hollywood, where a reggae-hip hop event was being hosted. A Nissan Versa drove into a line of mostly women standing outside the venue, also crashing into a food cart and a valet stand.

“This was a very chaotic scene,” said Fire Captain Adam VanGerpen, adding that people from inside the venue rushed out to help victims before emergency crews arrived.

Of the 30 injured, 23 were taken to nearby hospitals and trauma centers. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that seven people are in critical condition.

In a shocking twist, paramedics discovered the driver had suffered a gunshot wound. Police said it is still unclear whether the driver was shot before or after the crash. The wounded driver was also hospitalized, but authorities have not revealed his identity or condition.

Police are searching for the suspected gunman, described as a man in a blue jersey carrying a silver revolver, who fled the scene after the incident.

Maria Medrano, a food vendor selling hot dogs near the entrance, said a fight broke out just before the crash. “The car stopped once it hit the hot dog stand, it got stuck there,” she said from the hospital, recounting how she and her husband narrowly escaped. “If not, I wouldn’t be here to tell the story.”

Medrano said she heard what sounded like gunshots right after the impact. “Everyone started running,” she recalled.

Authorities are treating the case as an active and complex investigation. The motive behind the crash and the shooting remains unknown.