In late February 2021, Lady Gaga shared that her French bulldogs, Gustav and Koji, had been stolen in Hollywood, and she offered a $500,000 reward “for their safe return.” TMZ reported that Ryan Fischer, her dog walker, was shot by the thieves. The dogs were returned the next day after someone found them tied to a pole in an alley. Fischer broke his silence while “still in recovery from a very close call with death.” He later revealed he suffered a partially collapsed lung and had to have part of his lung surgically removed.
The alleged gunman, James Howard Jackson, was released from prison “due to a clerical error” this April but recaptured in Los Angeles by August. Today (December 5), Rolling Stone reports that Jackson, 20, was sentenced to 21 years in prison during an LA court appearance. Fischer was present and had the opportunity to read his victims impact statement to Jackson.
“You shot me and left me to die, and both of our lives have changed forever,” Fischer said, per Rolling Stone. He added, “I do forgive you. With the attack, you completely altered my life. I know I can’t completely move on from the night you shot me until I said those words to you. [The dogs] were returned and returned to their mom. I don’t think I could have lived with myself if they died.”
The publication additionally relayed that Fischer cited “lung collapse after lung collapse, loss of career, friendships, aimlessly traveling the country,” physical therapy, and debt as issues he faced. Jackson had pled no contest to attempted murder with great bodily injury.