Harrowing new footage has emerged of the moment Lady Gaga’s friend and dog walker was shot in the street by assailants who then snatched her beloved French bulldogs and left him writhing in pain in the street.
The video was taken on a neighbor’s doorbell camera near West Hollywood’s Sierra Bonita Avenue where Ryan Fischer, Gaga’s friend and dog walker, was walking with her three dogs, Koji, Gustav and Miss Asia, when he was suddenly attacked in the street at 10pm on Wednesday night.
The attackers snatched Koji and Gustav after shooting Fischer once. Miss Asia evaded them initially then, once they had fled, ran back to Fischer as he lay on the ground, screaming: ‘Help! I’ve been shot!’
Gaga is in Rome filming a new movie. When she learned that her dogs had been snatched, she immediately offered a $500,000, ‘no questions asked’ reward which law enforcement experts have criticized. They say it may not only jeopardize the investigation but also create a market for opportunistic criminals to target and kidnap celebrity pets then return them for handsome rewards.
Fischer survived the single gunshot and is in the hospital where he is in a stable condition.
Police are now hunting the kidnappers who seemed to know exactly who they were targeting when they pulled over suddenly to attack Fischer.
Danny Trejo, the actor who starred with Gaga in the film Machete Kills, said on Friday morning it was obvious she had been targeted.
‘People don’t just drive around say, “hey look there’s two dogs”. They targeted her,’ he said during a brief appearance on Today.
A grainy still from the neighbor’s doorbell cameras shows the two attackers punch Fischer to the ground on Wednesday night, shortly before 10pm
The white sedan waited with its lights on while the two attackers shot Fischer then grabbed Koji and Gustav. Miss Asia evaded them then returned to Fischer as he lay on the ground, writhing in pain
Fischer, 30, survived the single gunshot wound. He was found (right) clinging to Miss Asia, covered in blood. The dog was shaking
These are the last photos of Gaga, taken in Rome on Wednesday night. She has been holed up in her hotel room ever since the incident and is said to be ‘devastated’
The doorbell camera video shows Fischer walking down the street with the three dogs then becoming startled when the attackers suddenly stopped their white sedan.
Danny Trejo, the actor who starred with Gaga in the film Machete Kills, said on Friday morning it was obvious she had been targeted
They approached him quickly and started beating him while he tried to protect the dogs, yelling: ‘No!’ and screaming at the top of his lungs.
Fischer was still on the ground, wailing, when he was shot once. The attackers then drove away quickly, leaving him on the street.
Fischer was found by neighbors, covered in blood and clinging to Miss Asia. He was then taken to the hospital and Miss Asia was taken into the care of the authorities temporarily.
Gaga is said to be ‘devastated’ by the incident. She remains holed up in her hotel room in Rome, where she is filming the new movie, Gucci.
‘Lady Gaga is beside herself about this situation,’ a source told ET. ‘Ryan is not only her dog walker, but also her friend. She is horrified that this happened.’
‘She is completely devastated and sickened by this,’ the source said, adding that the singer’s dogs are like ‘ her babies’.
Surveillance footage captured from a neighbor’s home shows a white sedan pulling up alongside the 30-year-old, and two attackers, dressed in dark clothing, climbing out of the back seat
LAPD Capt. Jonathan Tippet confirmed that Fischer was shot once but said he’s expected to survive
Miss Asia was taken into the care of the authorities while Fischer was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday night
Miss Asia was said to have been ‘shaking’ when she was found in Fischer’s arms on the sidewalk. Neighbors said Fischer was clinging on to her so tightly they had to ‘pry’ the dog from his arms to attend to his injuries before paramedics arrived
Ryan Fischer was shot once outside of his home in West Hollywood on Wednesday night as he was walking Gaga’s three dogs
The location of the shooting is shown in the above map. It happened outside a home in the 1500 block if Sierra Bonita Avenue
‘She feels somewhat helpless because she is far away in Italy, but is doing everything she can and praying for Ryan, Koji and Gustavo.’
It’s unclear if she intends to return to the US this week.
She has not yet released a public statement, but has put up a $500,000 reward for the dogs’ safe return. The move was criticized on Thursday by law enforcement experts who suggested it was premature.
Frank Montoya Jr., who worked in the FBI between 1991 and 2016 after serving in the army, told DailyMail.com that Gaga’s reward not only put the investigation at risk, but opened up a market for criminals to start stealing celebrity dogs and returning them for high ransoms.
‘It’s always been an option for opportunistic criminals. But…paying, no questions asked, can open up a Pandora’s box of sorts. She should give the investigation a chance.
‘After all, the dogs notwithstanding, a human being was shot,’ he said.
The LAPD is refusing to comment on whether or not celebrity pet-knapping.
Fischer, who runs a social media account called Valley Of The Dogs, had been watching Gaga’s French bulldogs while she’s away filming the new Ridley Scott movie in Rome, Italy.
Gaga is pictured above with her beloved dogs Koji, Miss Asia and Gustav in a posts previously shared to Instagram
Her co-star Adam Driver was pictured on set on Thursday, while Gaga reportedly remained in her hotel room. The Academy-Award-nominated actress is believed to be staying at luxurious Baglioni Hotel Regina.
Driver plays Maurizio Gucci, the grandson of Gucci fashion brand founder Guccio Gucci in the film, which follows the aftermath of his murder.
Lady Gaga plays his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani, who was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill her husband in 1995.
Just six days ago, Fischer had posted a video to Instagram of himslef singing to Gaga’s pups, and tagged Miss Asia’s official Instagram page. He has previously posted images of the dogs on a number of other occasions.
French bulldogs are in high demand and sell for anywhere between $3,000-$5,000. Those with pedigree lineage can also go for as much as $10,000.
Gaga is pictured with Koji and Asia in 2017 after touching down in LAX airport, in Los Angeles