A man was thrown from the venue and hit a car into a group of people outside an East Hollywood nightclub, charged with 37 counts of attempted murder and assault, with a fatal weapon in the crash, and dozens of people were injured early Saturday morning.
Fernando Ramirez, 29, of San Clemente, was convicted of conviction, the Los Angeles County said. Atti. Nathan Hochman.
Police said Ramirez was kicked out of the Hollywood nightclub in Vermont early on July 19, but returned to the bustling area around 2 a.m. He threw what policeman called “compact Nissan sedan” into a bunch of revelers, street vendors and pedestrians, a car that could only rest after hitting a food cart.
At least 36 people were injured, some were temporarily trapped in the car until help arrived. Eight of the victims suffered “severe fractures, tear and bone fractures,” Hawkman said Tuesday.
“But for God’s grace, this could be a massive casualty incident,” Hawkman said.
At least 23 people were hospitalized, but no deaths were found. Hockman said it was a “miracle” and no one died and praised police and firefighters for their quick response to saving lives.
After the crash, bystanders pulled Ramirez out of the car and dragged him to the street where he was punched, kicked and eventually shot. Authorities said he was in a stable condition over the weekend. Police are still looking for the gunman.
“We understand the emotions involved, but when the threat ends … using deadly force is no longer legal,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said.
Ramirez is expected to make his first court appearance Wednesday morning. It is not clear whether he has a legal representative.
Popular nightclubs often have a line that stretches outside Vermont. Last Saturday, it hosted the Trapeton Party, a frequent dance party that includes reggae and hip-hop.
Hockman said he could not comment on the dispute that led to Ramirez’s evacuation from the club or whether he was targeting anyone specifically when he allegedly hit a car into the crowd. He also declined to comment on whether Ramirez was drunk or high at the time.
At the scene on Saturday morning, LAPD Rampart Division Captain Ben Fernandes said Ramirez was evacuated from the club for his destructiveness.
Ramirez has a long criminal record. He was convicted of hate crimes in 2020 for assaulting a black total food employee and sentenced to four years in prison, although part of his conviction was overturned when the Court of Appeal found a police officer violated his Miranda rights. He also previously attacked an officer against arrests and domestic violence, dating back to 2019.
He was awaiting trial on charges of drunkenness and driving a household battery at the time of Saturday’s incident, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Times worker Richard Winton contributed to the report.
