A violent Hollywood street robbery by two French bulldogs drew international intrigue on Thursday after it was revealed that the two purebreds belonged to the global megastar Lady Gaga, with fans and Los Angeles police wondering if the animals were targeted by because of its owner’s deep pockets.
Most alarming to the police and many others, including true crime enthusiasts eager for a new mystery to meditate on, was the cruelty with which the theft occurred – with Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, shot in the chest as he struggled to keep the animals, and then bleed out on the sidewalk while the thieves ran away with two of the three dogs in their care.
The video of the scene, captured by a neighbor’s balcony camera and published by TMZ, showed the fight, with two attackers stopping in a white Nissan Altima, jumping and immediately going to the dogs while Fischer screamed, first in protest and then in agony .
“It was a horrible thing,” said one of the neighbors, who asked not to be named. “We just hope he is doing well. Just hearing your screams was horrible. “
The incident, which occurred around 9:40 pm on Wednesday at block 1,500 on Sierra Bonita Avenue in Hollywood, caught the attention of the world, especially after Gaga’s camp offered a $ 500,000 reward for returning the dogs – “no questions asked. ”- even when Fischer was still being treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Thefts of purebred animals, which can reach high prices even when they are not linked to pop royalty, are not uncommon. And the LAPD has expressed concern in recent weeks about criminals in the city becoming more daring about street robberies – which have increased with the ease of pandemic-related blockages, including in the same general area of dog theft.
Earlier this month, LAPD chief Michel Moore highlighted a series of thefts on the streets of Wilshire, where individuals were stealing people’s Rolex watches. In a January 30 incident also captured by the camera, two attackers also jumped out of a white sedan near Melrose Avenue and North Vista Street – about a kilometer south straight from where the dog was stolen – and approached a man before stealing your watch.
“This is an image I haven’t seen in 20 years,” said Moore, lamenting the theft to local media.
LAPD captain Jonathan Tippet, who heads the Robbery and Homicide Division that investigates dog theft, said the police had no suspects on Thursday afternoon.
He said they were investigating whether the attackers knew the dogs belonged to the singer when they shot them, but had no specific evidence to prove that was the case. Tippet said the police were in contact with representatives of Lady Gaga, who were cooperating with the investigation.
An LAPD summary of the attack, described to The Times by a source who requested anonymity, indicated that the animals were the target of the thieves, one of whom said “give up” while pointing a gun at Fischer.
Gaga’s dogs, Gustavo and Koji, were taken away. A third dog escaped capture, ran to Fischer as the car left and is now back with Gaga’s caretakers, who TMZ reported being in Rome filming a movie and who recently performed on the national stage during President Biden’s inauguration.
Police sources said the pedigree and the associated value of the animals may have been the basis for the theft, but the level of violence used raises speculation that the attackers knew there might be an unexpected amount of stellar energy associated with their return.
Tippet declined to comment on the reward offered by the singer’s team. But these offers can be a blessing and a curse for researchers.
Rewards are sometimes offered by police and affiliated groups like Metro Crime Stoppers in serious crimes like shootings, but usually in an effort to identify the attackers and bring them to justice – not for returning stolen property.
They can result in an increase in tips and other useful information for the police, but they can also cause a deluge of false leads and misinformation. The scope of the misinformation may depend on the notoriety of the case in question. In this case, it can be huge.
The neighbor who heard the attack and later watched the video said that everything “seemed super targeted” to him. Despite that, it was extremely sad, he said, noting how hard Fischer had struggled to keep the dogs safe.
“He was really protective.”
Los Angeles has seen firearm crime rise to alarming levels since the pandemic began, with more shootings and homicides taking place in the city than at any other time in the past decade. As of February 13, shootings have increased by almost 145% compared to last year and by more than 163% compared to 2019.
Thefts, in contrast, fell 15% compared to 2020 and more than 21% compared to 2019. However, the police say they are catching up recently.