Accused dognappers didn’t know bulldogs belonged to Lady Gaga in near fatal robbery, police say
Three robbers were apprehended a week ago on suspicion of attempted murder and robbery
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Your support makes all the difference.Police have said that the robbers who kidnapped two bulldogs and shot Lady Gaga’s dog walker in February did not know that the dogs belonged to the pop star.
The three robbers named James Jackson, Jaylin White, and Lafayette Whaley, were apprehended a week ago on suspicion of attempted murder and robbery.
The felony complaint states that the trio cruised around West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley on 24 February “looking for French bulldogs,” when they spotted Fischer.
They turned off their car’s lights and followed him down an isolated side road.
White and Jackson leaped out of the van to assault the dogwalker, taking Koji and Gustav [bulldogs] after hitting and gagging Fischer.
Soon after, Jackson pulled out a self-loading gun and fired before fleeing the scene.
The camera recorded the dog walker screaming: “Oh, my God! I’ve been shot!” and “Help me!” and “I’m bleeding out from my chest!”.
After the incident, Gaga took to Twitter to say: “My beloved dogs Koji and Gustav were taken in Hollywood two nights ago. My heart is sick and I am praying my family will be whole again with an act of kindness.”
She confirmed she was offering a reward of $500,000 (£360,360) for the dogs’ safe return, adding: “If you bought or found them unknowingly, the reward is the same.”
Prosecutors also referenced that not long after the episode occurred, White’s father, Harold White, and Jennifer McBride, who was in a relationship with Harold, became involved in the robbery.
They allegedly helped Jaylin avoid arrest, followed by McBride returning the dogs to police on 26 February.
Police said McBride appeared to be “uninvolved and unassociated” with the crime.
Although, she was charged with receiving stolen property valued above $950 (£685), in addition to a count of being an accessory in the situation.
Prison records show that Jaylin White remains held on more than $1m bond (£7.21m) while Jackson is held on just over $3m bond (£2.16m), and Whaley’s bond is $1.1m (£7.92m).
Harold was released from jail on Saturday (1 May), and McBride was freed Monday (3 May) pending their next court appearance.
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