Several critically injured after vehicle 'driven into crowd' in Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Fire Department's (LAFD) public information officer Captain Adam Van Gerpen told Sky's US partner NBC News the vehicle struck a taco cart before hitting a large number of people outside a nightclub.

"Apparently there was a vehicle that had somebody who lost consciousness," he said. "We have reports that there was a gunshot wound in one of the patients."

Pictures from the scene in Santa Monica Boulevard, in East Hollywood, on Saturday morning show a damaged grey vehicle which has mounted the pavement with debris strewn across the ground.

Sergeant Travis Ward, central traffic division watch commander at the Los Angeles Police Department, said it was too early to say if the incident was intentional and that an investigation was ongoing.

Sergeant Ward confirmed the driver was shot after the collision and had been transported to hospital for surgery.

The LAFD said the collision happened shortly before 2am (9am GMT) and that three people are in a critical condition, six in a serious condition and 19 in a fair condition.

In total, 124 fire service personnel helped at the scene and police said there were no confirmed fatalities.

A man who was inside the nightclub told NBC he heard a "loud bang" and that a number of people ducked, after hearing what they believed to be gunshots.

"We look out the club, and it's a car into the hole right there," he said. "And then it's crazy, because people everywhere, laying down, unconscious, people, bleeding out and stuff."

The 14.3 mile (23km) boulevard spans nearly the entire city of Los Angeles, from West Hollywood to the Santa Monica Pier.

-SKY NEWS