Five people have been charged with attempted murder and robbery in connection with the snatching at gunpoint in February of Lady Gaga's dogs and the shooting of their walker, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said on Thursday.
Police said in a separate statement that four of the five people arrested were known gang members. The fifth person, a woman, was the person who reported she had found the dogs and returned them.
The singer's two dogs were returned two days after they were stolen in Hollywood.
The French bulldogs were snatched at night after their dog walker was shot in the chest. They were returned unharmed after Gaga offered a $500,000 reward
Los Angeles police said on Thursday that 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 statement said.
Gaga was filming in Rome when the theft occurred. Her dog walker, Ryan Fischer, said later that he had suffered "a very close call with death."
Fischer was walking three of Gaga's bulldogs in a residential area in Hollywood when a car pulled up alongside them and two men demanded he turn over the animals, police said at the time.
Fischer was shot once by the assailants, who drove off with two of the dogs. A third escaped and was later found by police.
The District Attorney's Office said the defendants were expected to be arraigned later on Thursday.
“This was a brazen street crime that left a man seriously wounded,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “We have alleged very serious charges in this case and have faith that justice will be appropriately served as this case unfolds in court.”
Reuters
