After getting kicked out of The Vermont Hollywood, Fernando Ramirez allegedly rammed his vehicle into a crowd of people outside the club.
A man named Fernando Ramirez is hospitalized in stable condition after allegedly running his vehicle into a crowd in front of Los Angeles nightclub The Vermont Hollywood, which had kicked him out for disruptive behavior shortly beforehand around 2am on Saturday, July 19.
LAPD Captain Ben Fernandez told the LA Times that it appeared to be an “intentional act.” At least 36 people were injured, seven of them critically, when Ramirez apparently slammed his grey Nissan Versa into a valet stand, food stand, and light fixture. Bystanders allegedly pulled Ramirez out of the vehicle and beat him, and a man who allegedly shot him in the lower back at that time is still at large. Ramirez was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
“It was a large chaotic scene,” said Los Angeles Fire Department Spokesperson Adam VanGerpen. “People were just waiting in line, getting some tacos and going into the club.”
First responders, including 124 firefighters, set up triage tents to treat those injured in the apparent attack, carrying those who sustained severe injuries away on stretchers. While some of the structures outside The Vermont Hollywood were hit by the vehicle, the facade of the venue itself sustained no damage.
Ramirez’s criminal record includes 11 misdemeanors and felonies. Among them are a 2020 charge for attacking a man outside a Whole Foods in 2019, and he has an open case around a 2022 instance of domestic battery. He was on parole at the time of his arrest on Saturday. Police do not suspect any terrorist or criminal motives behind the attack.
“We are working closely with law enforcement to ensure the person responsible for this horrific act is held fully accountable,” reads a statement from The Vermont Hollywood. “We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to the first responders for their swift and compassionate action in assisting those affected.”
