The vehicle damaged after hitting people in the street. Police say that it also hit a taco truck and valet stand - AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

At least 28 people have been injured after a car ploughed into a crowd of people outside a nightclub in Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people were in a critical condition, five were in a serious condition and 19 others were hurt after the incident on Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood.

An “unknown vehicle” drove into a the crowd in the early hours of Saturday morning, the LAFD said.

Capt Adam Van Gerpen, a public information officer for the Los Angeles City Fire Department, told ABC that a line of people – the majority female – were waiting to enter a nightclub when they were struck by a vehicle that also hit a taco truck and valet stand.

Paramedics discovered that one of the patients had a gunshot wound, Van Gerpen said.

“This is under police investigation,” he said. “This will be a large investigation with the LAPD.”

Police say many people in the area were standing in line waiting to enter a club - X

Police patrol the area after the incident in the early hours of Saturday morning - AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

People inside the nightclub came out to help in the minutes before emergency crews arrived, he said, to help the victims.

“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,” he said. “The valet podium was taken out, the taco truck was taken out, and then a large number of people were impacted by the vehicle.”

More than 100 firefighters rushed to the scene.

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

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