5 Suspects Arrested In Theft Of Lady Gaga's Dogs, Shooting Of Dog Walker Ryan Fischer Including Woman Who Returned Dogs
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Five suspects were charged Thursday in the February theft of Lady Gaga's dogs and the shooting of her dog walker.
All five were arrested Tuesday by LAPD officers. James Jackson, 18, and Jaylin White, 19 and Lafayette Whaley, 27, all of who are said to be documented gang members, were arrested for attempted murder.
Meanwhile, Harold White, 40, and Jennifer McBride, 50, were arrested for accessory to attempted murder.
The investigation revealed that Jackson, Jaylin White and Whaley were involved in the robbery and shooting of the victim.
All five pleaded not guilty at their arraignments Thursday, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office reports.
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Jackson — the alleged gunman — was also charged with one count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, while White is also facing one count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.
"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 LAPD said.
Harold White and McBride were determined to be accessories after the initial crime.
McBride reported that she found the dogs and responded to the reward email to return them.
Detectives said McBride had a relationship with the father of one of the suspects, Harold White.
McBride was charged with one count each of being an accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property.
Harold White, described by police as a documented gang member, was charged with one count each of being an accessory after the fact and possession of a firearm with an enumerated prior conviction involving a firearm, according to the District Attorney's Office.
In a written statement, District Attorney George Gascon called it "a brazen street crime that left a man seriously wounded."
"We have alleged very serious charges in this case and have faith that justice will be appropriately served as this case unfolds in court," the county's top prosecutor said.
On Feb 24, Ryan Fischer, 30, was walking Lady Gaga's three French bulldogs in the 1500 block of North Sierra Bonita Avenue, just off Sunset Boulevard, when a sedan pulled up alongside him, two suspects emerged and stole two of the bulldogs, Gustave and Koji.
During the chaos, as Fischer was trying to fight the men off, he was shot once in the chest. The incident was caught on surveillance video.
The third bulldog, Miss Asia, ran away but was later found safe.
Lady Gaga, who was shooting a movie in Italy, offered a $500,000 reward for the safe return of her dogs and praised Fischer, saying he risked his life "to fight for our family. You're forever a hero."
Two days after the attack, Gustave and Koji were turned in by a woman, now said to have been McBride, and turned into the Los Angeles Police Department's Olympic Community Police Station in the Pico-Union area.
All five defendants are due back in court on May 11.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
