Three Killed as Car Plows Into Crowd Near North Hollywood Metro Station

Three people were killed and others were critically injured when a vehicle crashed into pedestrians near the North Hollywood Metro station in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, the Los Angeles Times reported.

CBS News Los Angeles reported that the vehicle crashed into a food stand near a Metro bus stop at Lankershim and Chandler boulevards. The Washington Examiner reported that the Los Angeles Fire Department said three people were pronounced dead at the scene and three others in critical condition were taken to a nearby hospital, and that the crash happened at about 5:55 p.m..

The crash came during the evening rush. NTD News reported the vehicle hit people outside the station during rush hour. North Hollywood station is one of the busiest transit hubs in the San Fernando Valley, where the Metro subway line ends and riders transfer to buses. At that hour the corner is crowded with commuters, students and people stopping at street vendors for a bite on the way home.

Outlets described the vehicle differently: CBS News called it an SUV, while NTD News described a minivan. Fox News reported that multiple others were left critically injured.

The New York Times reported that the cause of the crash was not immediately clear. Authorities have not said whether the driver was impaired, suffered a medical emergency, lost control or acted on purpose. They have not publicly identified the driver or the victims. Investigators typically examine the vehicle, review traffic and security cameras and interview witnesses before reaching conclusions, and that can take days.

Los Angeles has seen a string of deadly crashes involving pedestrians in recent years, and residents have long complained about speeding and reckless driving on wide boulevards like Lankershim. Whatever caused this crash, it will add to calls for safer crossings, better lighting and tougher enforcement near busy transit stops.

City leaders have spent years trying to turn the area around the station into a walkable hub, with new apartments, shops and bike lanes. A crash like this one shows how much work remains to protect people on foot.

Behind the numbers are three families who will not see a loved one come home, and three more praying at hospital bedsides. Street vendors and the people who stop to buy from them are part of the daily life of this city. Many are working people doing honest work at the end of a long day.

We will update this story as investigators release more details. Please keep the victims, their families and the first responders who rushed to the scene in your prayers.