Jake E. Lee “On the Mend” After Being Shot in Las Vegas as he Explains Why He Was Walking His Dog At 2:40 A.M. Before Getting Shot

 

Legendary guitarist Jake E. Lee, known for his electrifying work with Ozzy Osbourne and his band Red Dragon Cartel, has broken his silence after surviving a terrifying shooting incident in Las Vegas. More than two weeks after the October 15 attack that left him with three gunshot wounds, the 67-year-old rocker says he is recovering steadily and remains in good spirits.

Lee, who rose to fame in the 1980s as Ozzy’s guitarist following the tragic death of Randy Rhoads, was shot early in the morning near his Las Vegas home while walking his dog Coco. In a series of heartfelt updates shared via social media, Lee detailed the moments leading up to the shooting, his current condition, and the unusual timing of the incident.

“Hi, been two weeks so I feel I should post something. I’m on the mend, no complications so far,” he wrote on October 30, along with a photo of his beloved pup. “Can’t put any weight on my foot for another month, so I have a knee scooter for around the house. More fun than the walker.”

The incident occurred around 2:40 a.m. in the 11000 block of Alora Street, about 10 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Lee, a self-described night owl, was taking Coco for a walk — something he says is routine due to his and his wife’s nocturnal schedules and the city’s extreme summer temperatures.

“We walk when it’s coolest, and have for the last two years without mishap, until recently,” he explained, addressing concerns about the hour of the attack.

According to Lee’s own account, he and Coco crossed paths with two masked individuals dressed in dark clothing who

appeared to be casing a neighbor’s motorcycle. After a tense verbal exchange, Lee agreed to walk in one direction while the suspects went in another. However, the situation escalated violently.

In an earlier post, Lee revealed the chilling extent of the assault: “The police found 15 shell casings at the scene… which means [the shooter] emptied his clip on me. I could only dodge so many.” One bullet went through his forearm, another struck his foot, and a third hit his back, breaking a rib and damaging a lung. Miraculously, none of the bullets hit any vital organs, and his dog was unharmed.

Lee was rushed to Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center and placed in intensive care. He has since returned home to recover, and though he still requires assistance to move around, he’s in stable condition and thankful for the support he’s received.

“Back home recuperating. A big thanks to those at Sunrise Hospital for taking such good care of me,” he wrote on October 20.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has confirmed that no arrests have been made and that the investigation is ongoing. Authorities are continuing to search for leads in the shooting.

The attack has drawn an outpouring of support from across the rock world. Ozzy Osbourne, who hasn’t seen Lee in nearly four decades, expressed his shock and sympathy in a statement to *TMZ*: “It’s been 37 years since I’ve seen Jake E. Lee, but that still doesn’t take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him today. It’s just another senseless act of gun violence. I send my thoughts to him and his beautiful daughter, Jade.”

Other rock icons shared similar sentiments. Bret Michaels of Poison tweeted: “We are all pulling for you & hoping that you will have a speedy & incredible recovery.” Journey’s Neal Schon and Night Ranger’s Brad Gillis, who also once played guitar in Osbourne’s band, chimed in with their well wishes, calling the incident a “crazy” and unfortunate reflection of the world today.

Following his time with Ozzy Osbourne — where he contributed to landmark albums *Bark at the Moon* (1983) and *The Ultimate Sin* (1986) — Lee went on to form the bluesy hard rock outfit Badlands. He later released solo records *Retraced* and *Guitar Warrior* before launching Red Dragon Cartel in 2013. The band’s most recent album, *Patina*, dropped in 2018.

Though Lee has largely avoided the spotlight in recent years, his fans remain fiercely loyal — and they’ve rallied behind him during this traumatic time. For now, Jake E. Lee is focused on healing and spending time with his family (and Coco), and while he’s not yet ready to dive into the full story of that night, he promises there’s more to come.

“I’ll probably talk in more detail about it later,” he wrote. “But right now I can only comfortably do a little at a time.”

Thankfully, Jake E. Lee is still here, still fighting, and still rocking — even if it’s from a knee scooter for now.