5 arrested after Lady Gaga's dog walker shot, pets kidnapped

ByALEX STONE ABCNews logo
Friday, April 30, 2021

Los Angeles police have charged five people in connection with the shooting of Lady Gaga's dog walker and the kidnapping of her beloved French bulldogs, according to police.



Three of the five arrested -- James Jackson, 18, Jaylin White, 19, and Lafayette Whaley, 27 -- were allegedly involved in the robbery and shooting of the singer's dog walker, Ryan Fischer, the Los Angeles Police Department said.



Authorities don't believe Fischer was targeted because he works for Lady Gaga; investigators believe the suspects were motivated by the high value of French bulldogs, police said.



"This was a brazen street crime that left a man seriously wounded," LA County 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."



Fischer was walking Lady Gaga's three dogs in February when he was approached by two people who attempted to steal them. After a brief interaction, Fischer was shot and two of the three dogs were taken to a car and driven away.



Fischer was hospitalized and survived.



Police said the two others arrested -- Harold White, 40, and Jennifer McBride, 50 -- were accessories after the crime.



In February, McBride brought Lady Gaga's two missing dogs to an LAPD station, police said Thursday. Police had said in February that the woman who found the dogs and brought them to police was not involved in the kidnapping, but now say she had a relationship with Harold White, the father of Jaylin White.



Jackson, Jaylin White and Whaley were each charged Thursday with attempted murder and robbery, police said. Jackson also faces charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and a felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, Gascón said in a press release. White also faces a charge of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.



Harold White and McBride were each charged with accessory after the fact to attempted murder, police said. Harold White was also charged with possession of a firearm, while McBride also faces a charge of receiving stolen property, the district attorney said.



Whaley, Jackson, Jaylin White and Harold White are all documented gang members, according to police.

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