Lady Gaga Bulldog Theft: First Accused Robber To Stand Trial

HOLLYWOOD, CA — One of three men accused of shooting Lady Gaga's dog walker and stealing two of her French bulldogs was ordered Thursday to stand trial. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Francis Bennett found enough evidence to allow the case against 27-year-old Lafayette Shon Whaley to proceed.

Whaley, along with James Howard Jackson and Jaylin Keyshawn White, were charged with one count each of attempted murder, second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery stemming from the shooting of Ryan Fischer, Lady Gaga's dog walker, on February 24.

Jackson — the alleged gunman — is also charged with one count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, while White is also facing one count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.

Whaley is scheduled to reappear in court for arraignment on July 1.

Jackson and White are awaiting a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against them to proceed to trial.

The theft and shooting took place on Feb. 24 around 9:40 p.m.

Ryan Fischer was walking three of Lady Gaga's dogs near Sierra Bonita Avenue and Sunset Boulevard when two men jumped out of a white Nissan Altima and demanded the dogs at gunpoint, police said. After a struggle, one of the men shot Fischer before taking two of the dogs and fleeing in the car.

A third dog, Asia, ran away during the struggle and returned to Fischer as he was lying on the ground, police said. Dennis Volochkova, who lives in the neighborhood, told ABC7 he heard Fischer screaming and ran to help him.

"[I] grabbed some towels from inside, ran out, got to the guy, and then he told me right away who he was, who he worked for, whose dogs they were," Volochkova said.

Volochkova took Asia, who he said was shaking and covered in blood, from Fischer as paramedics treated the wounded man.

"He was holding it so close, he didn't want to let it go, it was his responsibility, like his baby, it almost felt like I was prying it out of his hands," Volochkova said.

Fischer was hospitalized after the shooting. While recovering from his injuries, he posted a letter on Instagram reflecting on the traumatizing experience.

"Four days ago, while a car sped away and blood poured from my gunshot wound, an angel trotted over and laid next to me," Fischer wrote. "My panicked screams calmed as I looked at her, even though it registered that the blood pooling around her tiny body was my own."

"I cradled Asia as best I could, thanked her for all the incredible adventures we'd been on together, apologized that I couldn't defend her brothers, and then resolved that I would still try to save them… and myself," he continued. "Hopeful that my calm(ish) and forceful pleas for the urgency of my care as well as the focused descriptions of the dogs would be enough to help me and get enough police and media attention to find the boys, I looked backed at my guardian angel. I smiled at her shaking form, thankful that at least she would be okay."

All five defendants were arrested within a three-hour period on April 27 by officers from the LAPD's South Bureau Homicide, Metropolitan Division and Newton Division.

Whaley, Jackson and Jaylin White remain behind bars, while McBride and Harold White have been released on bond, according to jail records.

READ MORE: Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Shot, Bulldogs Stolen: $500,000 Reward
Lady Gaga's Dogs Returned Home Safely After Violent Robbery
Ryan Fischer, Lady Gaga's Dog Walker, Speaks Out After Shooting

City News Service contributed to this report.