Los Angeles, United States (AFP)-A car drove into a crowd outside a nightclub in Hollywood early Saturday, injuring more than two dozen people, including the driver who was pulled out of the car and attacked, authorities said.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation and authorities are searching for a gunman who non-fatally shot the driver in the chaos that followed, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene in East Hollywood, with 23 people taken to hospital — seven were in critical condition.

Six others were in serious condition, ten in fair condition, and seven were treated at the scene, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

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 statement said.

The suspected gunman fled on foot, it said.

– ‘Heartbreaking tragedy’ –

Many clubgoers were outside when the car plowed 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 Saturday, a tow truck hauled away the car, its bumper torn off. Club employees power washed the sidewalk outside The Vermont Hollywood, which was hosting a reggae and hip hop event when tragedy struck.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy. I want to thank the more than 100 LAFD and LAPD personnel who responded to the scene to help to save lives,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.

“The hearts of Angelenos are with all of the victims impacted this morning — a full investigation into what happened is underway.”

The area where the incident occurred is near Hollywood landmarks including Sunset Boulevard and the Walk of Fame — a sidewalk emblazoned with stars commemorating movie industry figures.