‘Devastated’ Lady Gaga holes up in 5-star hotel in Rome as LAPD continues hunt for her dognappers

Lady Gaga has been left ‘devastated’ by a brutal dognapping on Wednesday that saw two of her beloved pets stolen and her dog walker shot, a friend said.

The 34-year-old is said to be ‘beside herself about the situation’ after her dog walker Ryan Fischer was ambushed outside his home on West Hollywood’s Sierra Bonita Avenue as he walked Gaga’s dogs Koji, Miss Asia, and Gustav. 

Surveillance footage captured from a neighbor’s home shows a white sedan pulling up alongside the 30-year-old, and two people climbing out of the back seat. One of the attackers is heard cocking a pistol as they storm towards Fischer, warning him to ‘give it up’. 

Eyewitnesses have recalled hearing ‘blood-curdling screaming’ before Fischer was shot in the chest in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. He is expected to survive and police say he was conscious and communicative when they arrived on scene.

Lady Gaga, apparently absent from the Rome set of her new film, Gucci, on Thursday after hearing of the incident, is thought to be staying in a five-star hotel in the Italian capital. 

‘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’.

‘She feels somewhat helpless because she is far away in Italy, but is doing everything she can and praying for Ryan, Koji and Gustavo.’

LAPD officers are hunting for the two French bulldogs, along with the attackers, and are examining horrific footage of the ambush as part of their investigation, LAPD Officer Mike Gustav said.  

A semi-automatic gun was used in the attack and the weapon has not yet been recovered. He is understood to have been shot once with a neighbor recalling hearing ‘a shot’ ring out ‘about a minute’ after she first heard Fischer’s ‘blood-curdling screaming’.

‘We just ducked for cover, ran inside and called 911,’ Rachel Mason told CNN. 

She added that another neighbor tried to help Fischer.

‘We came back out and the guy was literally bleeding out as the cops and the paramedics were coming, and our neighbor was compressing his chest,’ Mason told CNN. 

‘I didn’t know if he was alive or dead and he gets put on the stretcher and put in the ambulance.’ 

Surveillance camera footage shows Fischer being ambushed outside his home on West Hollywood’s Sierra Bonita Avenue as he walked Gaga’s dogs Koji, Miss Asia, and Gustav just before 10pm yesterday. 

In the footage, captured from a neighbor’s home, a white sedan is seen pulling up alongside the 30-year-old, before two people climb out of the back seat. 

One of the attackers is heard cocking a pistol as they storm towards Fischer, warning him to ‘give it up’.

A struggle ensues between Fischer and the two attackers on the ground. The dog walker is heard shrieking ‘no’ and calling out for someone to help him as he attempts to protect the bulldogs from the attackers.

A single gunshot can then be heard and Fischer screams in pain. 

The assailants then pile into the back of the sedan holding Koji and Gustav. Miss Asia, who managed to escape from the dognappers, is seen running back over to Fischer who is lying on the ground. 

‘I’ve been shot. Oh my god, I’ve been shot!’ Fischer says. ‘Please help me.’

Eventually, a resident from a nearby home hears his cries and races outside to call the police. 

‘I’m bleeding out of my heart, of my lung, I’m bleeding out of my chest,’ Fischer tells the bystander. 

‘They stole two dogs, they’re Frenchies – they’re Lady Gaga’s dogs!,’ he says.

Fischer was shot in the chest but is expected to survive. Police say he was conscious and communicative when they arrived on scene.

Police described one of the suspects as a male, dressed in a black hat and black hooded sweatshirt. The second suspect’s gender is ‘unknown’, police say, but they too were wearing all black clothing. 

Gaga, 34, is offering a $500,000 reward for the return of Koji and Gustav ‘no questions asked’, TMZ reported. 

But former FBI Agent Frank Montoya Jr slammed the star’s decision to DailyMail.com on Thursday, saying her reward has not only put the LAPD’s investigation at risk, but opened up a market for criminals to start stealing celebrity dogs and returning them for high ransoms.   

The neighbor whose camera captured Wednesday night’s shooting only agreed to release the footage after receiving word from Gaga’s team that the singer wanted the video to be widely shared to help catch those responsible, TMZ reported.

The LAPD hasn’t yet commented as to whether they believe Wednesday’s attack was targeted. Other thefts of French bulldogs have been reported recently in Los Angeles.

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. 

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. 

A witness, Buck Angel, who also came out of his home to help Fischer told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday that he ‘100 percent’ believes the attack was targeted.  

‘I think 100% targeted – for sure. First off because in this neighborhood we have a lot of celebrities – it’s a celebrity neighborhood, number one.

‘Number two, I walk my dog at 11 and 12 o’clock at night and it’s safe here, it’s totally chill. How would anyone know that [Fischer] was walking those dogs at [that exact time].’

The LAPD told DailyMail.com that they are seeking at least two suspects. 

The assailants fled the scene northbound on Sierra Bonita Avenue in a white vehicle and remain at large.

Video captured by KABC showed Fischer lying on the sidewalk and clinging to Miss Asia as first responders treat him. 

The pooch was then swaddled up in a blanket and taken to the LAPD’s Hollywood headquarters. One of Gaga’s bodyguards collected her from the station shortly afterwards.

A friend of the victim, Steven Lazaroff, has voiced his shock over the incident and said Fischer loved Gaga’s dogs ‘unconditionally’. 

‘I’m not sure if those people knew whose they dogs were, and it’s even more devastating the dogs’ mom just landed in Rome yesterday to start filming for a movie and she can’t even be here,’ he told Fox 11.

‘I haven’t heard from [Fischer] yet … I just tried to go to the hospital but they weren’t accepting visitors. 

‘He would die taking a bullet for those dogs. He loves those dogs unconditionally. He’s always with them 24/7.’

The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division has taken over the investigation. 

The RHD is responsible for investigating the highest-profile cases in LA. 

Representatives for Lady Gaga – real name Stefani Germanotta – have not yet returned a request for comment on the shooting or theft of the star’s dogs.

Sources told TMZ that anyone in possession of the dogs can email KojiandGustav@gmail.com to organize returning the pets in return for a $500,000 ‘no questions asked’ reward. 

But Frank Montoya Jr., who worked in the FBI between 1991 and 2016 after serving in the army, slammed the move to DailyMail.com on Thursday, saying that Gaga’s reward has not only put the police’s investigation at risk but could also inspire a spike of celebrity dognappings.  

‘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,’ Montoya said.

Los Angeles-based Attorney Louis Shapiro, however, disagreed saying he didn’t believe the hefty sum would encourage others to commit similar crimes and instead suggested it could be a ruse to help catch the assailants.

‘This is an unusual reward amount,’ Shapiro told DailyMail.com. ‘We don’t really know if this $500k reward is in fact a no questions asked offer. There’s no contract made here. It could just be a ruse to lure in whoever did this.’

While Gaga is yet to speak publicly about the incident, her family members have told the media that she is distraught. 

Gaga’s father, Joe Germanotta told Fox News that entire family is ‘so upset right now’, and likened the dognapping of Koji and Gustav to ‘like losing one of your children’.  

‘Our whole family is upset and praying Koji and Gustavo are not harmed,’ he said. ‘Shooting someone in order to steal dogs is wrong.’

Germanotta then pleaded to the public to help ‘catch these creeps’. 

He later told the Post that he has spoken to his famous daughter ‘several times’ about the incident over the phone.

Germanotta said he told Gaga: ‘Just try to be strong and remember that they’re together. They’re comforting each other.’

Also Thursday, Gaga’s grandmother, Angeline Germanotta, told the Daily News that she is praying is praying for Fischer, who is a friend of the family.

‘It’s a cruel world we’re living in,’ she said. ‘I’m praying this young man recovers, and I hope the dogs are found safe and in good health.’

The 90-year-old continued: ‘The family is devastated. We’re all so upset because the dogs are two trusting animals, and why would anyone want to do something like this and seriously hurt that young man? It’s awful.

‘I’m always devastated by anything bad that happens to my granddaughter. She’s a very unique and wonderful young woman. She cares a great deal about all her animals.’

Tara Bruno, founder of SNORT Rescue, an organization that rescues bulldogs, pugs and Boston terriers, told People that French bulldogs are among the most stolen dog breeds because they’re very popular, are small and portable, and are expensive.

French bulldogs from reputable breeders cost between $3,000 and $5,000, she said.

According to the American Kennel Club, French bulldogs are the fourth most popular breed in the United State, behind Labradors, golden retrievers and German shepherds. 

However, French bulldogs are easier to steal , Bruno says, because they are much smaller.

‘The motive is resale. Thieves know they can get a couple thousand dollars for them,’ she told the outlet.

Gaga adopted Gustav in 2016, and celebrated the addition to her ‘family’ in an Instagram post.

‘I’m proud to announce we added a new member to the #JOANNE family,’ she wrote, adding that she was still deciding on his name. ‘I haven’t named him yet but I call him both cowpig and moopig in the meantime!’

The singer got Koji as a puppy the year prior in April 2015, and Miss Asia has been with Gaga since March 2014.

A celebrity in her own right, Miss Asia boasts a social media following of more than 220,000. She has previously appeared in several magazines, featured in several ad campaigns and, in 2015, was the inspiration between Lady Gaga’s pet product line.

Gaga’s manager, Bobby Campbell, told Billboard at the time: ‘This is not just about crazy outfits for dogs. It’s about giving pet parents and pet owners a fun and creative way for protecting their pets, as well as fun clothes to display on Instagram (because Gaga loves doing that).’

To tease the line, Gaga uploaded a series of fashion-style photo shoots of Miss Asia reading Vogue, driving a Rolls Royce in a tux and even enjoying an outdoor picnic of champagne and dog biscuits.

The dogs have appeared frequently on Gaga’s social media pages in the years since.

In 2018, the singer dressed the trio up as Chia pets, the terracotta figurines that found popularity in the 1980s. 

The three also previously accompanied Gaga on the red carpet for the American Music Awards in November 2017. 

Hours before the shooting unfolded in West Hollywood, Gaga was pictured strutting through the streets of Rome.

She is currently filming in the Italian city for Ridley Scott’s new movie Gucci, in which she stars Maurizio Gucci’s ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani.

Debuting new brunette locks, the Bad Romance hitmaker was spotted walking into her hotel, glad in a glamorous animal print kaftan and a black studded face mask.

Earlier this month, Gaga revealed that a ‘very important member’ of her family was hospitalized for two months with COVID-19 after falling ‘very, very ill’ with the virus. 

The 11-time Grammy winner admitted it was difficult for her to visit them in the ICU because she had to be by herself.

When asked what has been giving her hope over the past year, she said: ‘I got to be honest. I’m about to cry on the other end of this call with you because it’s really – it’s doctors, it’s nurses, it’s essential workers.

‘I haven’t spoken to this person about speaking about this publicly, but I will tell you that a very important member of my family was very, very ill recently and in the hospital for almost two months.

‘I was in the ICU by myself many times because you can’t go in with more than one person, if you can go in at all. I have never seen the heroic acts of bravery that I witnessed, watching these doctors and nurses and people that were cleaning at the hospital.’