Lady Gaga offers $500,000 reward after dog walker shot and pets stolen
Written by News on 26/02/2021
Lady Gaga is understood to be offering a $500,000 reward for the safe return of two of her beloved dogs after her friend was shot as he was walking them.
Ryan Fischer was attacked as he walked the star’s French bulldogs Koji, Miss Asia and Gustav in West Hollywood on Wednesday evening.
Two of Lady Gaga‘s dogs, Koji and Gustav, were stolen, while Miss Asia was able to get away and was later recovered.
Mr Fischer survived the attack and is believed to be recovering well.
The singer, real name Stefani Germanotta, is understood to be offering a $500,000 (£353,000) reward to try and get her pets back.
Los Angeles Police Department said Mr Fischer was shot by a male suspect at 9.40pm local time (5.40am on Thursday in the UK). The man fled in a white vehicle, the force said.
A semi-automatic gun was used in the attack and the weapon has not yet been recovered.
Two French bulldogs were taken by the suspect, they added, and the gunman is still at large.
An LAPD spokesman said: “The investigation is still open as LAPD continue their search for the suspect or suspects.”
Lady Gaga was reportedly in Italy for filming when the attack happened. Photos from the scene published by US entertainment site TMZ show police holding a dog, though to be Miss Asia.
A man who lives yards from the shooting told Sky correspondent Sally Lockwood that he came out of his house after hearing screaming on the street.
The eyewitness said: “It was going on for quite a while and I came out – I stood behind my fence… that’s when the gunshot went off.
“So I turned around and ran back in the house with my dog and my partner and then I heard a second gunshot, and that’s when I called 911.
“There was a white car with two doors open and I saw a little scuffle there, but that’s when the gunshot happened… It was so fast – and then the car took off.”
He added: “Even though it was Lady Gaga’s dogs, I don’t care – a guy got shot – he was laying there on the ground. I thought he was dead.”
Lady Gaga, who performed at Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony, has shared pictures of herself with her pets on social media in the last few years, and as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US in March 2020 she posted to say she was “hanging at home with my dogs”.
In recent months, animal charities have reported an increase in dog thefts in the UK as demand surged during lockdown.
Sky News has contacted representatives for Lady Gaga for comment.
Anyone with information about the dogs can email KojiandGustav@gmail.com
(c) Sky News 2021: Lady Gaga offers $500,000 reward after dog walker shot and pets stolen
