A man who is suspected of shooting a 29-year-old driver who is accused of purposefully driving into a crowd outside of an East Hollywood nightclub and wounding dozens of people has been photographed by the police and images of him have been released.
Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department have stated that the event that took place early on Saturday morning took place in the 4600 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, which is located close to a prominent venue that is located in the 1000 block of North Vermont Avenue.
Over one hundred and twenty emergency personnel hurried to the location of the mass casualty incident. They transported thirty-six people to the hospital with injuries ranging from mild to major fractures. Among the victims who were taken to the hospital were numerous victims who were trapped beneath the suspect’s vehicle.
At the very least seven of those who were injured were categorized as being in critical condition, according to the authorities.
The driver, who was named by the police as Fernando Ramirez, was dragged out of his vehicle by members of the mob and violently hit and kicked. This occurred in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
“During the altercation, an unidentified male approached from across the street, produced a firearm, and shot Ramirez once in the lower back,” the Los Angeles Police Department stated in an amended press release. “That suspect has evaded capture and is still at large,” the police said.
It was determined that Ramirez needed medical attention for the gunshot wound as well as the injuries he acquired as a result of the assault that he received from the crowd. After some time had passed, he was taken into jail and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and as well as force likely to cause significant bodily injury.
According to a source within the law enforcement agency, Ramirez was kicked out of the nightclub for being disruptive just before 8 o’clock on Friday evening. He was then denied entry when he attempted to return with the intention of returning to the establishment. After then, it is said that he got into his vehicle, drove to the intersection of Vermont Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, where he performed a U-turn, drove onto the sidewalk, and collided with a taco vendor’s stand as well as a valet podium before ultimately colliding with the gathering of people.
According to Carlos Saucedo, who reported on the matter, the individual, who is 29 years old, has a lengthy criminal record. In the year 2020, he was found guilty of felony battery for assaulting a man outside of a Whole Foods store in Laguna Beach, which was later ruled to be a hate crime.
Despite the fact that the scene was chaotic, members of the public were cooperative in supporting authorities with their rapid response to the incident, according to Cpt. VanGerpen of the Los Angeles Police Department.
“Just because all of these people are coming out to have a good time, this really was a horrific scene,” VanGerpen said. “It made me feel sick to my stomach.” It was a chaotic situation, but we also saw individuals displaying their best. individuals with broken legs were being treated by people they had never met before. “They are waiting in line, and then a vehicle comes and drives through them,” the reporter said.
According to the authorities, the individual who is suspected of being the person who shot Ramirez is a Hispanic male who is described as having a goatee, measuring between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 7 inches in height, weighing between 160-170 pounds, and having gauges in both of his earlobes.
The last time anyone saw him, he was dressed in blue pants, a light blue jersey with the number “5” featured on it, and a blue Dodgers jacket.
Det. Audelo of the Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department urges anyone who may have information regarding this investigation or the whereabouts of the suspected gunman to call him at the number 213-484-3451. call the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or submit tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.org. Those who desire to remain anonymous while providing information can do so.
