Woman Who Returned Lady Gaga's Dogs Is Among 5 Arrested in Violent Robbery
Five suspects were charged in connection with the theft of Lady Gaga's dogs and the shooting of her dog walker, including the woman who returned the stolen French bulldogs days after the robbery.
According to an Al Jazeera report, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) does not believe that the thieves knew the dogs belonged to Lady Gaga.
In a statement, police said the seen motive for the robbery that happened on Feb. 24 was the value of French bulldogs, which can reach as high as thousands of dollars.
Ryan Fischer, the dog walker, is recovering from a gunshot wound. He called the incident a "very close call to death." Fischer had part of his lung removed due to the incident.
Lady Gaga's three dogs, namely Asia, Koji, and Gustav, were with Fischer in Hollywood just off the famed Sunset Boulevard when they were attacked.
"The journey is hard, it's assuredly painful, and questionable choices that no longer serve me like wearing skinny jeans are made. But I try," Fischer said as reported by Independent.
In a statement, District Attorney George Gascon said that this was a "brazen street crime" that left a person seriously wounded. Gascon added that they had alleged "very serious charges" in this case, hoping that justice will be served as the case unfolds in court.
In an Instagram post, Lady Gaga earlier said that she loves Fischer, adding that the dog walker risked his life to fight for her family.
RELATED ARTICLE : Disturbing Video Shows Shooting of Lady Gaga's Dog Walker as French Bulldogs Are Taken
Theft of Lady Gaga's Two French Bulldogs
Lady Gaga was in Rome at the time of the attack filming Ridley Scott's "House of Gucci" movie, according to a Dazed Digital report.
Lady Gaga has offered a $500,000 reward - "no questions asked" - for the dogs' safe return. The two stolen French bulldogs were handed in to the police by Jennifer McBride two days later.
McBride is now named as one of the two suspected accomplices. She was charged with accessory to attempted murder with Harold White, who is the father of another suspect and had a relationship with, the LAPD said Thursday.
Harold, 40, was reportedly charged with one count of possession of a firearm and McBride, 50, with one count of receiving stolen property.
Police arrested the three main suspects. They were identified as Jaylin White, 19; Lafayette Whaley, 27; and James Jackson, 18. They were charged with attempted murder, second-degree robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.
Police said the assailants are documented gang members targeting French bulldogs because of their high value.
A surveillance video from a neighbor's home showed that Lady Gaga's dog walker was confronted by two men who get out from a white Nissan Altima's back seat.
A male suspect then shot Fischer and stole two of Lady Gaga's three French bulldogs - Gustav and Koji, while the third dog named Miss Asia was not stolen.
Authorities said that Jackson, who was the shooter, is also facing charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and a felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. White, on the other hand, also faces one count of assault employing force likely to produce significant bodily injury.
The five suspects were charged on Thursday by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, but it was still unclear if they had attorneys.
According to The Guardian, each of the five suspects was being held on a $1 million bail. Authorities said the suspects would be arraigned at Los Angeles' Foltz Criminal Justice Center on Thursday.
Authorities still do not have any suspects at the time of the attack, so they looked into the video and reviewed plates of cars in the area to shed some light on the incident.
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WATCH: 5 Suspects in Lady Gaga Dognapping Arrested, Including Woman Who Returned Pets, LAPD Says - From ABC7
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