Fernando Ramirez, Los Angeles man kicked out of the Vermont Club in East Hollywood, ‘intentionally’ rams into crowd, after fight, injuring 30, seven critically, while being shot at after being attacked by club attendees as cops now seek shooter at large.
A man kicked out of an East Hollywood club in California early Saturday morning is alleged to have gotten in his vehicle and plowed into a crowd of people standing outside, leaving 30 injured, with video capturing the man then being attacked, including shot at by one of the attendees he had moments ago run over.
The episode happened just after 2 a.m outside the Vermont Club, near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Vermont Avenue according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Tragic incident in East Hollywood, #LosAngeles: A vehicle plowed into a crowd outside a nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard early Saturday, injuring over 20, with five critical. Driver was pulled from the vehicle and shot post-crash. Authorities investigating. #EastHollywood pic.twitter.com/EELFK74dpk
— Thepagetoday (@thepagetody) July 19, 2025
According to LAPD Commander Lillian Carranza, 29 year old man, Fernando Ramirez had moments earlier had been involved in an altercations inside the nightclub, intentionally drove his Nissan Versa vehicle into a crowd of people gathered outside the venue and nearby food vendors.
The driver struck a street-side food cart and numerous bystanders before being pulled from the vehicle by witnesses and physically assaulted according to both the LAPD and Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) who were both called on to the scene.
‘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,’ said Van Gerpen, a public information officer according to NBC 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.’
People inside the club came out to help the victims in the minutes before emergency crews arrived, he said.
During that assault, the man was shot by an unidentified suspect.
Authorities say the driver was transported to a local hospital, underwent surgery, and is now in stable condition. Due to his injuries, police have not yet determined if he was under the influence at the time of the crash.
LAPD sources say the suspect had been previously removed from the club twice for intoxicated and aggressive behavior.
After being ejected for a second time, he reportedly returned to his vehicle and drove into the crowd gathered outside, waiting to get into the club.
About 30 people were hurt early Saturday when a driver plowed into a crowd waiting in line outside an East Hollywood nightclub, according to police.https://t.co/pjUUKukNbT pic.twitter.com/qQxsyIctg6
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) July 19, 2025
The crash left seven people in critical condition, six with serious injuries, and ten others with moderate or minor injuries, the LA Times reported.
Seven additional individuals declined medical treatment at the scene. Victims ranged in age from their 20s to 30s, and included 12 men and 18 women, according to Commander Carranza. The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that 120 emergency personnel responded to the mass-casualty incident.
After having struck his victims, the crowd then turned on the driver, pulling him from his car and kicking and punching him before someone else approached and shot the man, before then fleeing the scene.
Police now believe, Ramirez intentionally plowed his car into the crowd following earlier reports he may have lost consciousness.
Photos and video from the scene depict a heavily damaged gray sedan mounted on the sidewalk, surrounded by debris, injured individuals receiving aid, and emergency responders administering care.
A witness inside the club described the moment of impact as a ‘loud bang’ that triggered panic and confusion, with many guests initially believing they were hearing gunshots and fleeing the scene. ‘People were lying down, unconscious, bleeding,’ he said.
Maria Medrano who was operating a hot dog cart with her husband outside the club and who was hospitalized following the incident told the Associated Press that a fight had broken out shortly before the incident.
Medrano said that the car crushed her hot dog stand, nearly killing her and her husband.
‘The car stopped once it hit the hot dog stand, it got stuck there,’ Medrano said. ‘If not, I wouldn’t be here to tell (the story).’
Fernando Ramirez now faces charges of suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon according to Eyewitness News. The district attorney will decide the actual charges, which have not yet been filed.
LAPD said all of the people injured, including Ramirez, are stable and expected to survive.
Meanwhile, law enforcement is actively searching for the gunman who shot the driver. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’9″ tall, weighing 180 pounds, bald, and last seen wearing a blue jersey.
He fled the scene on foot, heading westbound on Vermont Avenue, and is believed to be armed with a silver revolver.
The club, Vermont Hollywood, outside of where the violence occurred, was hosting a reggae/hip hop event until 2am, according to its online calendar. The outlet has to declined to respond to media overture for comment.
Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD’s Rampart Division at (213) 484-3424, or provide anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
