A man was taken into custody after allegedly driving a U-Haul truck into a crowd of protesters in Westwood marching in support of regime change in Iran Sunday.
The protest, which began growing throughout Sunday afternoon, included hundreds of people who flocked to an area near the Federal Building at the corner of Veteran and Wilshire Boulevard to show support for the nearly 600 Iranians who lost their lives demonstrating against the economic crisis in the Middle East. The Los Angeles Times estimated the crowd size at 3,000 people.
The vehicle plowed into the crowd on Veteran Avenue, just north of Ohio Avenue. Two people were initially evaluated at the scene by firefighters and both declined treatment, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Officials do not currently believe the incident was political in nature or an act of terrorism, but stemmed from an altercation in the crowd, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Richard Gabaldon told the Los Angeles Times.
Gabaldon said the suspect could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
Police only described the suspect as a man, but did not provide his name or any further description.
Shortly before 5 p.m., the LAFD reported the crowd appeared to be voluntarily dispersing.