“We have 30 victims, 18 females and 12 males between the ages of mid-20 to early 30s,” Carranza said.
Seven were in critical condition and six were in serious condition, authorities said. Ten suffered minor injuries while seven left the hospital against medical advice.
Footage, apparently of the aftermath, showed panicked people running outside the club and victims sprawled on a blood-stained sidewalk while others sobbed nearby.
The driver of the car, reportedly a Nissan Versa, was pulled from the vehicle, handcuffed and brutally beaten, a video on social media showed.
“When officers arrived, they found the driver being assaulted by bystanders and determined he had sustained a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital and his condition is unknown at this time,” the LAPD said.
The suspected gunman fled on foot, it said.
‘Heartbreaking tragedy’
Many club-goers were outside when the car ploughed into the crowd, a taco truck and a valet stand, a firefighter said.
“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,” Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Adam Van Gerpen told ABC 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.”
At dawn, a tow truck hauled away the car, its bumper torn off. Club employees power-washed the footpath outside The Vermont Hollywood, which had been hosting a reggae and hip-hop event.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident “a heartbreaking tragedy”.
“The hearts of Angelenos are with all of the victims impacted this morning – a full investigation into what happened is under way.”
The area where the crash occurred is near Hollywood landmarks including Sunset Boulevard and the Walk of Fame – a sidewalk emblazoned with stars commemorating movie industry figures.
– Agence France-Presse
