A vehicle slammed into a crowd waiting to enter The Vermont Hollywood nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday, injuring at least 30 people, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Seven victims were listed in critical condition, six in serious condition and the remainder in fair or minor condition. Authorities said 23 of the injured were transported to hospitals and trauma centres, while several others declined treatment at the scene. The car, identified by police as a Nissan Versa, first struck a taco truck and a valet podium before ploughing through the line of mostly female patrons. Los Angeles Police Department officers arriving on the scene found the driver being assaulted by bystanders and suffering from a gunshot wound; he was taken to hospital in critical condition. Investigators are searching for a man wearing a blue jersey who allegedly fired the shot and fled on foot with a silver revolver. It remains unclear whether the driver was shot before or after the collision, and no motive has been established. More than 120 firefighters and paramedics responded to the incident, which occurred along one of Hollywood’s busiest nighttime corridors. Mayor Karen Bass described the episode as a “heartbreaking tragedy” and pledged a thorough investigation. LAPD detectives are examining surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses to determine whether impairment, mechanical failure or intentional action played a role.