Five charged in snatching at gunpoint of Lady Gaga’s dogs

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Victoria Wilson presides over the arraignment of several people arrested in connection with the theft of Lady Gaga's dog and shooting of her dog walker. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, Pool)

• Gaga was filming in Rome in February when her dog walker was shot and her dogs stolen
• The dogs were returned unharmed after Gaga offered a $500,000 reward

LOS ANGELES: Five people have been charged with attempted murder, robbery and other offenses in connection with the snatching at gunpoint in February of Lady Gaga’s dogs and the shooting of their walker, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office said on Thursday.
Police said in a separate statement that four of the five people arrested were known gang members. The fifth person, a woman, was the person who reported she had found the dogs and returned them.
The singer’s two dogs were returned two days after they were stolen in Hollywood.
The French bulldogs were snatched at night after their dog walker was shot in the chest. They were returned unharmed after Gaga offered a $500,000 reward.
Los Angeles police said on Thursday that detectives do not believe the suspects were targeting the victim because of the dogs’ owner.
“However, evidence suggests the suspects knew the great value of the breed of dogs and was the motivation for the robbery,” the statement said.
Gaga was filming in Rome when the theft occurred. Her dog walker, Ryan Fischer, said later that he had suffered “a very close call with death.”
Fischer was walking three of Gaga’s bulldogs in a residential area in Hollywood when a car pulled up alongside them and two men demanded he turn over the animals, police said at the time.
Fischer was shot once by the assailants, who drove off with two of the dogs. A third escaped and was later found by police.
The District Attorney’s Office said the defendants were expected to be arraigned later on Thursday.
Three individuals were charged with one count each of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and second-degree robbery. One of the three also was charged with assault and a firearms offense. The woman who claimed to have found the dogs and a fifth defendant were charged with being accessories after the fact. The woman additionally was charged with receiving stolen property.
“This was a brazen street crime that left a man seriously wounded,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.
“We have alleged very serious charges in this case and have faith that justice will be appropriately served as this case unfolds in court.”