Car plows through crowd of celebrating fans in Los Cabos, injuring 17

At least 17 people were injured in Los Cabos on Wednesday night when a vehicle plowed into a large gathering of fans celebrating Mexico’s World Cup victory.

In a Facebook post, Los Cabos authorities said they responded to “a traffic accident with multiple injuries on Lázaro Cárdenas Boulevard in the Cabo San Lucas tourist area” shortly after 9 p.m.

The injured — one of whom has been listed in serious condition — were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

Los Cabos’ Acting Mayor Jose Manuel Larumbe promised to keep the public informed regarding official investigations, adding that “I would like to express our deepest solidarity with the people affected and their families following the unfortunate events that occurred tonight.”

The incident could have started before the driver moved through the crowd some celebrants acted toward the car in what could have been interpreted as a threatening. Officials say that “upon being surrounded by people obstructing the road and rocking his vehicle, [the driver] accelerated suddenly, striking several pedestrians.”

A video shared on social media shows a car trying to move slowly through the crowd, before running over several people and then crashing into short traffic-control posts and coming to a stop a few meters on.

The driver was dragged from the car and nearly lynched by the furious crowd. A video shows him lying on the asphalt, his face bruised and bloodied, while some people continue to kick him and curse him.

The unidentified driver was transported under police custody to Cabo San Lucas General Hospital where he reportedly arrived in a condition of cardiac arrest. Emergency personnel performed resuscitation measures and were able to restore his vital signs.

By early Thursday, the patient was still intubated and remained in serious condition, under specialized medical supervision.

The State Attorney General’s Office (PGJE) said it will open an investigation into the attack on the driver as well as on the inciting incident.

The PGJE told the newspaper Hoy BCS that the suspect is “in custody at the hospital and will remain at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, while investigations continue to determine his responsibility and the specific charges he may face” regarding the incident which is officially being labeled “multiple hit-and-run incidents.”

Prosecutors insist that regardless of the criminal liability that may arise from the hit-and-run, the driver is also “the victim of an act that may constitute assault and battery.”

Given that the injured were celebrating El Tri’s victory, the Mexican Soccer Federation (FMF) issued a statement early Thursday morning saying it deeply regrets the incident that occurred tonight in Los Cabos.”

“We express our solidarity with the affected people and their families, with the wish that those who were injured have a speedy recovery,” the FMF statement said.

With reports from N+, The Guardian, Hoy BCS, NBC News

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