At least 31 people have been injured after a car ploughed into a crowd outside a nightclub in Los Angeles.
Emergency services are responding to the scene of a collision on Santa Monica Boulevard where an ‘unknown vehicle’ reportedly drove into a crowd in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The LA Fire Department said they have treated more than 20 patients. At least three people were in a critical condition and six others were seriously injured, their alert said.
Social media footage shows a huge response to the incident, with dozens of firefighters and police officers descending on the street in East Hollywood.
A witness told NBC News that clubgoers were partying when they heard a ‘loud bang’, leading them to look outside at the chaos on the street.
‘We look out the club, and it’s a car into the hole right there. And then it’s crazy, because people everywhere, laying down, unconscious, people, bleeding out and stuff,’ they said.
The crumpled remains of a grey car can also be seen on the sidewalk amid a sea of debris outside the Vermont nightclub.
Another video – supposedly in the moments after the crash – shows people crowding around the car, while others can be seen lying on the ground.
One witness at the scene claimed she heard a gunshot before seeing someone crash into the crowd outside the nightclub.
She added that the driver remained in the car before being tackled to the ground by security guards.
The scene of a suspected collision on on Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles, where a grey car – believed to have been driven into a crowd – can be seen on the side of the road
Social media footage shows a huge response to the incident, with dozens of firefighters and police officers attending the scene
The Vermont nightclub in Los Angeles, where the collision took place in the early hours of Saturday morning
Speaking at the scene, LA Fire Department captain Adam Van Gerpen said: ‘This morning, about 2am, firefighters were dispatched out to a traffic accident.
‘On arrival, they found that we had a multi casualty incident with a number of victims on scene. Our firefighters quickly realised we had a large number of patients so we called for additional resources.
‘Apparently somebody that lost consciousness inside the vehicle and drove into a taco cart and then ultimately ran into a large number of people that were outside a club in East Hollywood.
‘Right now we have a total of approximately 31 patients. All of those patients are in the process of being treated and transported and evaluated.’
‘We have reports that there was a gunshot wound in one of the patients. There was a patient inside the vehicle and they were able to extricate that patient.’
The LAFD also said in a statement: ‘Initial reports of an unknown vehicle into a crowd, 20+ patients.
‘Estimated 4-5 in at least critical condition, 8-10 in serious condition, 10-15 in fair condition. LAFD is coordinating patient triage and transport at this time.’
The Vermont nightclub had been hosting a event with DJ FLXN from 10pm.
