Former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee has described the October 2024 shooting that left him with multiple gunshot wounds as a deliberate attack, stating that the assailant “wanted me dead” after emptying an entire magazine in his direction.
In an exclusive interview shortly after the incident, the 68-year-old rock legend revealed that police recovered 15 shell casings at the scene, indicating the shooter fired repeatedly while Lee was walking his dog in a residential area of Las Vegas. “Police found 15 shell casings. He unloaded his clip on me,” Lee said, adding that he was still processing the trauma: “Mentally I’m trying to process it all. A man wanted me dead.
The shooting occurred around 2:40 a.m. on October 15, 2024, near Starr Avenue and Valley View Boulevard, approximately 10 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Lee was struck three times—once in the forearm, once in the foot, and once in the back, resulting in a broken rib and a damaged lung. Despite the severity, he was conscious upon arrival at the hospital and made a full recovery, later calling himself “one lucky motherfucker.
Initial reports from Las Vegas Metropolitan Police described the incident as a “completely random” street shooting. However, Lee later clarified that it stemmed from a confrontation with two masked individuals he spotted tampering with a neighbor’s motorcycle. After a verbal exchange, the suspects fled but returned and opened fire. In one account, Lee noted the shooter initially appeared to aim at his dog, Coco, prompting him to release the leash and urge the pet to run home unharmed.
By November 2025, more than a year after the attack, Lee announced on social media that the two suspects had been arrested and were awaiting sentencing. He credited media attention and pressure from local officials for accelerating the investigation. Further details emerged suggesting the firearm was linked to prior crimes, including murders.
Reflecting on the ordeal during a November 2025 podcast appearance on “Talk Is Jericho,” Lee described the shooting as “unlucky” but noted fortunate outcomes, including his survival and the perpetrators’ capture. Ozzy Osbourne, who hadn’t spoken to Lee in nearly four decades, publicly condemned the attack as “another senseless act of gun violence.
Lee, best known for his work on Osbourne’s albums Bark at the Moon (1983) and The Ultimate Sin (1986), as well as leading bands like Badlands and Red Dragon Cartel, has since returned to performing, including appearances at high-profile events. The incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about random violence in Las Vegas while underscoring Lee’s resilience in the face of adversity.
