Lady Gaga’s dog walker is awake and Instagramming after an unknown assailant shot him in the chest last week: In the caption to a photo taken from his hospital bed, Ryan Fischer wrote that he is “still in recovery from a very close call with death” and that “a lot of healing still needs to happen.” Nonetheless, he added, “the gratitude for all the love I feel from around this planet is immense and intense.”
Fischer was walking Gaga’s three dogs in Hollywood last Wednesday night when two people got out of a white sedan and approached him on Sierra Bonita Avenue. One person reportedly held Fischer while the other produced a semiautomatic handgun. Per surveillance video, the pair drove off with two of the pop star’s French bulldogs — Koji and Gustav — as Fischer collapsed. Gaga’s third dog, Asia, was said to have run away from the scene, but in one of two Instagrams, Fischer said she “trotted over and laid next to [him]” as “blood poured from his gunshot wound.”
“I cradled Asia as best I could, thanked her for all the incredible adventures we’d been on together, apologized that I couldn’t defend her brothers, and then resolved that I would still try to save them … and myself,” he wrote, calling the dog his “guardian angel.”
Fischer arrived at the hospital in critical condition, but stabilized by Thursday night. Meanwhile, a woman whom police believe to be “uninvolved and unassociated” with the robbery dropped off Koji and Gustav at the Olympic Community Police Station on Friday. No suspects in the case have been publicly identified.
Gaga, who was in Rome working on Ridley Scott’s Gucci at the time of the attack, praised Fischer as a “hero” and is reportedly covering all of his medical bills. In his posts, he thanked her — along with his friends and his family — for her “unwavering” “support as a friend.” For now, he looks “forward to the future and the moment when [he] get[s] bombarded with kisses and licks (and maybe even an excitement pee?) from Asia, Koji, and Gustav.”
Lady Gaga, her dog walker Ryan Fischer and her beloved French bulldogs been in the headlines this week. Haven’t been following the disturbing saga? Here’s everything we know.
What happened to Lady Gaga’s dog walker?
On Wednesday night, a male suspect shot and wounded Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, and stole two of her three French bulldogs, Koji and Gustav, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The third dog, Miss Asia, wasn’t taken. The theft happened in Hollywood at approximately 9:40 p.m. PT, police say, and the suspect used a semiautomatic handgun and fled the scene in a white, four-door Nissan Altima.
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A horrifying home surveillance video obtained by TMZ shows a man jumping out of a car and confronting the dog walker, saying, “Give it up.” The men struggle, and a shot can be heard, as can a dog’s yelps and the panicked cries of the injured victim. “Help me, I’ve been shot. I’ve been shot,” he screams as he lies on the ground. “Oh my god.”
KABC quotes a representative for Gaga saying Fischer is being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Fischer is in stable condition, according to a police statement Thursday evening that also describes the two suspects in the robbery as between 20 and 25 years old.
Where are the dogs?
The Associated Press is now reporting that both Lady Gaga’s dogs have been recovered unharmed.
According to the Los Angeles police, an unnamed woman — who was not involved with the original theft — brought the dogs to LAPD’s Olympic Community Police Station. Lady Gaga’s representatives confirmed they were Gaga’s dogs.
Both of Lady Gaga’s dogs have been turned in to a local police station, and they have been safely reunited with Lady Gaga representatives. https://t.co/c5Z5QMa944
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) February 27, 2021
It’s unclear how the woman came to be in possession of the dogs.
Lady Gaga’s reaction
The singer herself is filming a movie in Italy (see below for more details), but on Friday, she spoke out about the attack for the first time, in an Instagram post.
“My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago,” Lady Gaga posted, along with a photo of the dogs. “My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness.” She offered a $500,000 reward for the pets’ safe return.
Gaga went on to praise the injured dog walker, who’s recovering in a Los Angeles hospital, writing, “I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family. You’re forever a hero.”
Why would someone steal French bulldogs?
In short, they’re valuable and in demand. Puppies typically sell for between $1,500 and $3,000, but they can sell for far more. This isn’t the first time French bulldogs, known as Frenchies, have been stolen. In November, two French bulldogs were reported stolen from the backyard of a residence in Daly City, just south of San Francisco. And just last month, a San Francisco woman reported being violently assaulted and having her 6-month-old French bulldog stolen.
French bulldogs have big ears, large square heads and compact muscular bodies. The American Kennel Club describes the breed as “one of the world’s most popular small-dog breeds, especially among city dwellers. The Frenchie is playful, alert, adaptable, and completely irresistible.”
Where is Lady Gaga now?
The performer is currently in Rome, filming the new movie Gucci, about the famous fashion family dynasty. Lady Gaga plays Patrizia Reggiani, Italian socialite and ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci, the grandson of Gucci founder Guccio Gucci. Reggiani was tried and convicted of orchestrating her husband’s assassination in 1995. Maurizio had two daughters with Reggiani, but he left her for another woman. Ridley Scott will direct the film, which is based on Sara Gay Forden’s book The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed.
Her fans have used the singer’s social media accounts to express their sorrow about the attack.
“So sorry to read this. I hope your babies are back with you soon,” wrote one fan on an Instagram image of Gaga and her dogs.
The singer’s father, Joe Germanotta, spoke to the New York Post.
“We’re just sick over it, it’s really horrible,” Germanotta said. “It’s like someone took one of your kids.”
Who is the injured dog walker?
According to the New York Post, Ryan Fischer, 30, recently relocated to Los Angeles from New York. One of his Instagram pages, Valley of the Dogs, features photos of what appear to be Gaga’s dogs, as well as plenty of other canines.
The investigation is ongoing. “Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Division, Robbery Special Section, are seeking the public’s help in providing any information that would lead to the identification and arrest of violent street robbery suspects,” the LAPD’s statement says.
Lady Gaga has broken her silence following the theft of her two dogs.
The singer spoke out on Twitter on Friday, writing: “My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago. My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness.”
Gaga confirmed she’s offering a reward of $500,000 for the dogs’ safe return and gave the contact email address KojiandGustav@gmail.com, adding: “If you bought or found them unknowingly, the reward is the same.”
The artist also shared words of thanks and support for dog walker Ryan Fischer, who was shot and injured during the theft.
“I continue to love you Ryan Fischer, you risked your life to fight for our family,” she wrote. “You’re forever a hero.”
Gaga included four photos of the two French bulldogs along with her tweets.
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Los Angeles Police Captain Jonathan Tippett told the news agency that the dog walker was shot once and is expected to survive his injuries.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the dog walker was targeted due to his celebrity client, according to Tippett.
Fischer’s family told Rolling Stone in a statement that he’s expected to recover fully.
“Thankfully, Ryan is receiving extraordinary care in the hospital right now and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery,” the family told the publication. “We cannot possibly say enough to thank all of the first responders, nurses and doctors who have worked so tirelessly to care for Ryan.”
The family also extended thanks to Gaga, adding: “Of course, we also want to thank Lady Gaga who has shown nothing but non-stop love and concern for Ryan and our family right from the outset. Ryan loves Gustavo and Koji as much as Lady Gaga does; so we join in her plea for their safe return.”
That video is part of the evidence that LAPD detectives are scrutinizing, according to LAPD Officer Mike Lopez.
The footage, recorded by a home surveillance camera, shows the dog walker on Sierra Bonita Avenue in Hollywood on Wednesday night when a light-colored sedan slows down and stops next to him. At least two people can be seen exiting the vehicle and accosting the dog walker. In the video, the victim is heard shouting “no, no” as he struggles with his attackers.
One man is seen restraining the victim, as the other appears to point a gun. As a gunshot rings out, the victim is seen falling backward as the men race back to the car.
“Oh my God, oh my God, help me,” the dog walker is heard shouting just before the car drives off. He’s heard saying he’s been shot in the heart and lungs and that the two dogs have been stolen as neighbors rushed to help him.
“We heard blood-curdling screaming. And then within about a minute, a shot rang out,” a neighbor Rachel Mason told CNN. “We just ducked for cover, ran inside and called 911.”
Mason said it was a shocking scene and her neighbor helped to save the victim’s life.
“We came back out and the guy was literally bleeding out as the cops and the paramedics were coming, and our neighbor was compressing his chest,” Mason said. “I didn’t know if he was alive or dead and he gets put on the stretcher and put in the ambulance.”
Mason added that she had no idea that the victim was Lady Gaga’s dog walker and her dogs had been stolen.
Right now, the victim is in critical condition and the dogs are still missing, according to Lopez. The dog walker has not been publicly identified. Police described the attackers as men between 20 to 25 years old.
The singer is offering a $500,000 reward for the return of her dogs named Koji and Gustav.
New details have come to light regarding the shooting of Lady Gaga’s dog walker and the theft of two of her French bulldogs.
In a video obtained by TMZ, it appears the whole horrifying ordeal was caught by a neighbor’s surveillance video. The disturbing and graphic video first shows a man walking dogs on the sidewalk.
Then, a light-colored four-door sedan pulls up alongside the man before two people get out of the backseat and a struggle ensues. One of the men is heard yelling, “Give it up.”
The dog walker tries to fight back as the dogs are being grabbed — one dog is able to get away — while the assailants snatch the two other animals.
LADY GAGA OFFERING $500G AWARD AFTER SINGER’S DOG WALKER SHOT, TWO DOGS STOLEN
Then, a loud gunshot is heard and the dog walker falls to the ground screaming he’s been shot as the car drives away.
A rep for Gaga confirmed to People magazine that the footage is of the theft and it was taken by a neighbor. According to TMZ, Gaga’s team “wanted” the surveillance video “to be seen to catch the shooter and recover her dogs.”
Fox News has reached out to Gaga’s rep for comment.
Lady Gaga has offered a $500,000 reward for the return of her two stolen dogs. (Getty Images)
The attack occurred late Wednesday night as Gaga’s dog walker, who is “a friend” of the family, was caring for the Oscar winner’s three dogs. Lady Gaga has since offered $500,000 for the return of her dogs, Koji and Gustave, no questions asked.
Those with information on the case should email KojiandGustav@gmail.com, the singer’s rep told People.
LADY GAGA’S DAD PLEADS FOR PUBLIC’S HELP AFTER HER DOG WALKER SHOT, DOGS STOLEN
Los Angeles Police Department Public Information Officer Jeff Lee confirmed to Fox News on Thursday morning that a 30-year-old male was shot just before 10 p.m. on Wednesday, and was transported to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.
Lady Gaga with her dog Miss Asia in 2015. She was not stolen. (XPX/Star Max/GC Images)
“Last night at around 9:40 p.m. a shooting took place in the 1500 block of North Sierra Bonita Avenue. The male unknown suspect fired a gunshot from an unknown location striking the 30-year-old male white victim,” Lee said.
Lee told Fox News the department is treating the case as an “assault with a deadly weapon,” noting that the weapon used was a semi-automatic handgun. Lee added that “no arrest has been made yet” and the victim was in “unknown condition.”
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However, according to People, the victim, whose name hasn’t been released by authorities, is currently in critical condition.
Gaga is in Italy prepping to film her new movie “Gucci.” A source told “Entertainment Tonight” that she is “beside herself about this situation” and “is horrified that this happened.”
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“Her dogs are her babies and she is completely devastated and sickened by this,” the insider said, adding that the singer “feels somewhat helpless because she is far away” but she is “doing everything she can and praying.”
Fox News’ Melissa Roberto contributed to this report.
Kemba Walker could find himself back in NBA trade rumors for the Boston Celtics as they look to gear up for a potential title run with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Walker, 30, has been a great player for the Celtics, but injuries have dampened his potential with the team.
The Celtics want to solely build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and having an overpriced liability at the point guard position isn’t biding well for the team. The Celtics could be in the mix to trade away Kemba Walker and add a younger and cheaper option at the guard positions instead.
Walker, when healthy, is a force to be reckoned with on the floor. Walker, this season, has averaged 15.0 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game. Walker has also shot 34.2 percent from the floor and 30.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Kemba Walker could be a great veteran presence to a team that needs a guard to compliment their unit through the 2023 season. Walker could also be dealt to a playoff team that could flip him to acquire some draft picks following the season.
There’s a lot of potential suitors for Kemba Walker, but I broke it down to a top three for ya. Here’s a look at three possible landing spots for Kemba Walker this season.
The Dodgers have inked a new contract with righty Walker Buehler, but it won’t expand upon the team’s control rights. Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links), the deal will resolve Buehler’s arbitration case by guaranteeing him $8MM over the next two seasons.
MLBTR had projected Buehler to earn in the $2.3MM to $3.1MM range for the 2021 campaign. The contract provides a $2.75MM salary along with a $3.25MM rate of pay for 2022. That latter number is obviously light, which is why Buehler will also enjoy a $2MM signing bonus.
The Dodgers gain cost certainty and avoid a hearing with a critical young player. In exchange for sacrificing some contractual upside, Buehler will lock in some serious career earnings and gain some long-term protection from injury.
Buehler will also retain a chance to boost his earnings through escalator provisions. Per Rosenthal, the deal calls for Buehler to earn an additional $500K upon reaching each of six games started thresholds (14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28). Cy Young voting outcomes can also bump the payday: $1.125MM for a win or $625K for a top-three finish.
The 26-year-old Buehler reached arbitration eligibility as a Super Two player. He’ll have two more arb-eligible campaigns to go after this deal runs out. The sky is the limit on his earning power for those seasons and beyond. Through 365 2/3 career innings to date, Buehler owns a 3.15 ERA with a 28.6% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate.
The CW is kicking February off with a blizzard (ha!) of renewals, picking up additional seasons of a dozen current series — including breakout hit Walker.
In addition to the aforementioned Jared Padalecki-fronted reboot, the list of shows confirmed to return for the 2021-22 TV season includes The Flash (Season 8), Riverdale (Season 6),DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (Season 7), All American (Season 4), Charmed (Season 4), Legacies (Season 4), In the Dark (Season 4), Roswell, New Mexico (Season 4), Batwoman (Season 3) Nancy Drew (Season 3) and, yes, Dynasty (Season 5).
As previously reported, the soon-to-launch new seasons of Supergirl and Black Lightning will be both series last.
Additionally, Superman & Lois — which is set to bow on Feb. 23 — has received an order for two additional episodes, bringing its Season 1 total to 15. (A Season 2 pickup for S&L is TBD.) Meanwhile, The CW is expanding Walker‘s inaugural season by 5 episodes, for a grand total of 18.
“Though we’re just a few weeks into the new season, we wanted to get a strategic head start on next season with these early renewals, which allows our production teams to start laying out story arcs and hiring staff, and at the same time, continues to provide us with a strong, stable schedule to build on for next season,” said CW Chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz in a statement. “As The CW’s 2020-2021 season kicks into high gear, we are thrilled creatively with the direction of our first new shows out of the gate, Walker and Superman & Lois, that we wanted to order the additional episodes to complete their first seasons, and we are particularly pleased with the huge success of the launch of Walker, which debuted as our most watched series premiere in 5 years.”
TVLine’s 2021 Renewal Scorecard has been updated to reflect the tsunami of pickups.
