Legendary rocker’s report: Shot 3 times, 15 shell casings at Las Vegas scene

Las Vegas Review-Journal

1 month ago

Jake E. Lee, former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, performs in concert during the M3 Rock Fest at ... — Jake E. Lee, former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, performs in concert during the M3 Rock Fest at Merriweather Post Pavilion on Saturday, April 26, 2014, in Columbia, Md. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)

Zedd and Liam Payne perform their single “Get Low” at Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020. (Wolf Productions)

FILE – One Direction members, from right, Liam Payne and Harry Styles perform on ABC’s "Good Morning America" at Rumsey Playfield/SummerStage on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

FILE – Liam Payne arrives for the world premiere of "Ron’s Gone Wrong," at the Royal Festival Hall in London, during the BFI London Film Festival, Oct. 9, 2021. (Jonathan Brady/PA via AP, File)

Boxer Tyson Fury, left, with promoter Bob Arum, during a press conference for his upcoming boxing fight at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Wednesday, June 12, 2019. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

FILE – This is an April 6, 2017, file photo showing boxing promoter Bob Arum speaking at a boxing press conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Arum says he plans to stage a card of five fights on June 9 at the MGM Grand. It’s the first of a series of fights over the next two months at the Las Vegas hotel. A second fight card will be held two nights later. ESPN will televise both cards to kick off twice weekly shows at the hotel in June and July. The fights are pending approval of the Nevada Athletic Commission.(AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)

Saying, “I feel relatively lucky to be alive,” guitar great Jake E. Lee has specified his injuries from a Tuesday morning shooting in Las Vegas.

“Checking. Is this on? Been awhile since I posted here,” Lee started his post on Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel Facebook page. There are only two posts on that page this year. Lee had not posted to his personal page that page of any kind since April 2014.

Still hospitalized, Lee went on to say, “I deeply appreciate all the concern and well wishes. Makes everything going on a little better. To clarify, I was shot three times. I was on my way back home from walking my dog Coco (I didn’t name him so don’t!) Don’t want to go into details now, I’m tired, but I feel relatively very lucky.

“The police found 15 shell casings at the scene which means he emptied his clip on me. I could only dodge so many so one bullet went through my forearm, one through my foot, and one in the back which broke a rib and damaged a lung. Priority now is to keep draining my lung till it’s done crying. Then we can pull that tube out and concentrate on the more minor injuries.

And by the way, Coco’s fine and appreciates your inquiries!”

Lee was injured at about 2:40 a.m. in what his reps say was a “totally random” incident at his Southern Island home. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Las Vegas Metro’s public information department says the investigation is ongoing. Lee’s manager Tim Heyne of Red Light Management said he had no further details on Lee’s condition or the incident, other than what has been made public.

George Pajon Jr., guitarist for Black Eyed Peas and a Las Vegas resident, has been among Lee’s visitors.

Lee has heard from Ozzy Osbourne, whom he backed during the 1980s. Osbourne issued a statement to TMZ on Wednesday, “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. I just hope he’ll be ok.”

I just heard about Jake E Lee. Glad to hear he is doing well 🙏

My thoughts are with ya, buddy!#jakeelee #getwell pic.twitter.com/jgIlRDuuvQ

— Brad Gillis (@realBradGillis) October 15, 2024

Such guitar greats as Neal Schon of Journey and Brad Gillis of Night Ranger posted in support. Gillis is also a former Osbourne band member.

Fellow guitar great Ashba of Sixx: A.M., himslef a Vegas resident, posted a text-exchange Thursday morning, in which Lee said, “Doing surprisingly well, I am one lucky (expletive).”

Payne and Vegas

Former One Direction member Liam Payne appeared a few times in Vegas, outside of the band’s tour stops.

Payne died Wednesday after falling from a third-floor balcony at a resort in Buenos Aires. He was 31. His most recent appearances in Las Vegas were after Tyson Fury’s party at Hakkasan Nightclub after Wilder’s victory over Deontay Wilder at MGM Grand Garden in February 2020.

The previous night, Payne and Zedd performed their 2017 hit “Get Low” at Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace. The two also teamed at since-closed Intrigue at Wynn in October 2016.

With One Direction, Payne appeared at MGM Grand in February 2014, at Mandalay Bay Events Center Aug. 2-3 2013, and at Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing arts (PH Live today) at Sept. 9, 2012. The band was also in the second iHeartRadio Music Festival at MGM Grand Garden in September 2014.

Arums TBH

That means, “To Be Honored,” and applying to Bob and Lovee Arum. The Vegas power couple are to be honored with the Community Leadership Award at the Keep Memory Alive Power of Love Gala at MGM Grand Garden on Feb. 22.

Bob Arum is of course founder of Top Rank Boxing. The Arums are legendary Vegas philanthropic supporters. The couple most recently attended the Grandmaster Hip Hop Awards on Oct. 6, benefitting Ben and Felicia Horowitz’s Paid in Full Foundation.

Jimmy Kimmel is this year’s Power of Love celeb honoree. Proceeds benefit Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s battle against Alzeimer’s, Huntington’s Parkinson’s, MSA and Multiple Sclerosis. Early seating available; information at KeepMemoryAlive.org.

Gaynor’s NBT legacy

Entertainment legend Mitzi Gaynor, who died Thursday of natural causes at age 93, was among the dignitaries honored as Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Woman of the Year. One of the last remaining survivors of Hollywood’s Golden Era was honored in 2013.

NBT officials said in a statement, “Mitzi Gaynor was an entertainment legend and our friend. Actress, singer, dancer, icon and NBT 2013 Woman of the Year. We are so fortunate we had the opportunity to share her extraordinary life and work with the Las Vegas community.”

Cool Hang Alert

Mario Barth & About Kings, led by the prominent rocking tattoo entrepreneur, plays 10 p.m. Friday at Gilley’s at Treasure Island. In a news release totally devoid of hyperbole, Barth and the boys “set to conquer the world of hard country rock in a way never seen before.”

I’m sure they will rock hard in this post-PBR party. Barth always brings the power. He’s also lining up a tattoo outlet at the new Hard Rock Las Vegas when it opens in spring 2027. The show is a $10 cover; go to gilleyslasvegas.com for intel.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.