Three people were killed and at least three others were taken to hospital in critical condition after an SUV drove onto a pavement and struck a group of street vendors and pedestrians near a Metro station in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, on Tuesday evening.

The crash happened at about 5.55pm local time in the 5300 block of North Lankershim Boulevard, near Chandler Boulevard, close to the entrance of the North Hollywood Metro station. The Los Angeles Fire Department said three people were pronounced dead at the scene, while at least three others, including the driver, were taken to hospital.

Driver in his 60s taken to hospital

Police said the driver of the white SUV was a man in his 60s. He was pulled from the vehicle and taken to hospital, where tests were under way to determine whether he was under the influence of any substances at the time of the crash.

Los Angeles Police Department Captain Warner Castillo told reporters at the scene that investigators had not yet determined what caused the crash. “We don’t know if it was done intentionally or it was done by accident,” he said, adding that officers were looking for security camera footage from the bus station.

Investigation under way

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the SUV drove onto the pavement near the station, striking street vendors and pedestrians, and described the incident as horrific. She said her office was working closely with city departments as the investigation continued.

One witness, Angela Parker, told reporters she heard a loud bang as the crash unfolded and knew four women caught up in it, describing them as food vendors who handed out food to people in need.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the investigation would be prolonged but deliberate. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims that were struck here tonight,” he said. The identities of the victims had not been released, and police said the cause of the crash remained under investigation.