Lady Gaga’s dog walker was shot and two of the singer’s French bulldogs were stolen in Hollywood during an armed robbery, police said on Thursday. Now, the pop superstar is offering a $500,000 US reward for their return.
Gaga, whose recent performances included singing the national anthem at U.S. President Joe Biden’s inauguration last month, has been in Rome filming a movie. Her three French bulldogs remained in Hollywood, The Daily Mail reported.
The outlet said Gaga’s dog walker was walking the dogs on Wednesday evening when he was shot. He is expected to survive his injuries, according to Los Angeles Police Capt. Jonathan Tippett, commanding officer of the department’s elite Robbery-Homicide Division.
The third dog, Miss Asia, escaped and was later recovered.
Police were initially called to North Sierra Bonita Avenue — a street off the famed Sunset Boulevard — around 9:40 p.m. PT Wednesday, following several 911 calls reporting a man screaming and the sound of a gunshot, said Capt. Steven Lurie, commanding officer of the department’s Hollywood Division.
The victim was walking the dogs when a four-door sedan pulled over and two men tried to steal the animals.
The dog walker tried to fight them off and was shot by one of the men wielding a semi-automatic handgun during the struggle. It’s not yet known if both men were armed.
Lady Gaga is offering the reward for the return of her dogs, whose names are Koji and Gustav. An email address — kojiandgustav@gmail.com — has been set up for tips on the dogs’ whereabouts, which her representative said will be met with no questions asked.
The French bulldog is a popular breed, and there has been a growing trend of the dogs, which can cost several thousand dollars as puppies, being stolen for resale or breeding.
www.cbc.ca 2021-02-25 17:52:04