Lady Gaga’s dog walker shot, gunmen steal two of singer’s French bulldogs: ‘We are all in shock’
Lady Gaga was left “devastated” Thursday after armed robbers shot and critically injured her dog-sitter and stole two of her beloved French bulldogs in a brazen sidewalk stickup.
The harrowing holdup happened around 9:40 p.m. Wednesday on N. Sierra Bonita Ave. in Hollywood, close to the popular Runyon Canyon hiking trail frequented by celebrities.
Dog walker Ryan Fischer was shot once at close range and remained in critical condition at a local hospital Thursday morning, sources said.
Two of Gaga’s precious pooches — Gustav and Koji — were dognapped in the incident, her father confirmed to the Daily News.
The “Poker Face” singer, 34, quickly offered a $500,000 reward for the dogs’ safe return, no questions asked.
“We are all in shock and obviously devastated over this,” Gaga’s dad Joseph Germanotta said Thursday.
He said his famous daughter is in Italy filming a movie and worried sick about her dog walker and beloved pets.
“I’ve heard he’s in intensive care,” he said of Fischer.
Gaga’s grandma said she spoke to the singer after the incident, and everyone is praying for Fischer’s full recovery and that the dogs are somehow returned safe and sound.
“She’s devastated and unhappy,” the 90-year-old grandmother said.
“It’s a cruel world we’re living in,” Angeline Germanotta said.
“We’re all so upset because the dogs are two trusting animals, and why would anyone want to do something like this and seriously hurt that young man? It’s awful,” she said.
Dramatic home surveillance video of the violent crime obtained by TMZ shows a four-door white sedan roll up to Fischer and attack without warning.
Two men are seen exiting the back seat of the vehicle and aggressively accost him with a gun drawn.
“Give it up! Give it up,” one of the men demands repeatedly as Fischer is heard yelling in protest.
“Help me! Help me! No!” Fischer screams as he refuses to willingly hand over the dogs and at one point appears to call out for Koji by name.
One of the robbers then shoots Fischer at close range and the thieves pile back into the car with Koji and Gustav before speeding away.
The third French bulldog, Miss Asia, is seen running back to Fischer after he falls on the ground, calling out for help.
“Help me, I’ve been shot,” Fischer wails in the disturbing video.
Video from KABC showed Fischer still clinging to Miss Asia as first responders arrived to render aid.
“Prayers for my dear friend Ryan Fischer as he recovers from gunshot wounds to the chest in LA. Grateful he is well enough to text me - which stopped my hysterical crying,” pal Justin Vivian Bond said in a Facebook post.
LAPD’s robbery homicide division was investigating the shooting Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear if the assailants knew who owned the dogs before stealing them.
“That street isn’t known for shootings,” so it’s possible the suspects “targeted” Gaga’s dogs specifically, one police source said.
French bulldogs are difficult to breed and can cost thousands of dollars.
A woman in San Francisco was beaten at gunpoint in January as men stole her French bulldog puppy, police said.
The New York-born Gaga, whose given name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, has shared photos of her dogs on social media in the past, including in a 2016 Instagram post featuring all three of the pooches that was taken shortly after she adopted Gustav.
Gaga will portray Patrizia Reggiani, an Italian socialite, in Ridley Scott’s movie “Gucci,” due out later this year. Reggiani was married to Maurizio Gucci, the grandson of Guccio Gucci, who founded the Gucci luxury fashion brand.
The film also stars Jared Leto, Al Pacino and Adam Driver.
Gaga previously played one of the lead roles in 2018′s romantic musical-drama “A Star Is Born,” for which she won an Oscar for best original song with “Shallow.”
With News Wire Services
