Car Plows Into Downtown Redlands Crowd; Gunshots Follow, Witness Says

A vehicle drove into a crowd in downtown Redlands early Sunday, Feb. 22, just after 1:30 a.m., and moments later at least six gunshots were fired at the vehicle, according to a witness who recorded the incident.

Crystal Chirpin, who handles media for Cherps Auto and Customs in Calimesa, said she and friends were leaving the area on East Citrus Avenue when they encountered a confrontation outside nightlife venues including The District and The Underground.

“We were all leaving about — it was closer to 2 in the morning, maybe like 1:45 a.m.,” Chirpin said. “People were cleaning up and leaving.”

She said roughly 10 to 15 people were surrounding a vehicle when a female driver got into a blue Tesla and drove off.

About 30 seconds later, the same Tesla circled back.

“It was the same blue car that was there. It had basically circled around,” Chirpin said. “You can hear it in the video. The car screeches its tires. But no one’s paying attention because it’s super loud.”

Seconds later, the vehicle accelerated into the group.

Chirpin said some of the individuals struck did not appear to be actively involved in the argument.

“The people that she hit weren’t necessarily — I mean, in my opinion — part of the issue,” she said. “There wasn’t any yelling or screaming or anything like that coming from them.”

She estimated those hit were in their 20s.

Several people fell to the ground. Some were able to get up and move away, while others remained down.

“There was one on the sidewalk that was moving around, and you could tell his leg was pretty injured,” Chirpin said. “One of them was completely laid out.”

She believes one person may have been struck twice as the driver attempted to turn and reverse before crashing into Bruno Bianchi Body by Design.

“She initially hit him and then she ran into a building,” Chirpin said. “When she backed up, he was still there.”

When the vehicle crashed into Bruno Bianchi Body by Design, windows were shattered. Chirpin said she returned the next morning and saw boarded-up glass.

“They had hit the window and shattered it,” she said. “The window was shattered at the entrance to The District and The Underground as well. Like a bullet had hit the door.”

Moments after the collision, gunfire erupted.

“Oh, yeah, six or seven,” Chirpin said of the rounds she heard.

In the video, people scatter as shots ring out. Chirpin said she was stunned by what was unfolding.

“To be honest, I have no idea what I was thinking,” she said. “If you watch the video, my movements were like a turtle. I think I was just in shock.”

She and a friend moved toward a nearby parking structure as others ran.

“You can hear on that video, my friend says, ‘I’m scared. We need to leave.’ And I go, ‘Okay, let’s go,’” she said.

She said she did not recall seeing police in the immediate area prior to or during the incident.

“I didn’t see any police officers down there,” she said.

Chirpin, who said she rarely goes downtown late at night and was only there because a friend was in town, described the crowd as largely in their 20s and said it appeared many were coming from outside of Redlands.

“I think there’s a lot of people that are coming from other cities,” she said. “It’s not like it was back in the day.”

She said she hopes no one died as a result of the incident.

“I would like to know about that other guy, just for myself,” she said. “I hope that no one passes away or anything like that. What could you be arguing about that you would do that?”

“That person needs to see justice for sure on that one.”

Four victims from the hit-and-run were transported to a hospital with major injuries. The vehicle fled west on Citrus Avenue.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Thomas Williams at 909) 557-6814 or twilliams@redlandspolice.org.