With the news circulating of former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee being shot on Tuesday, Ozzy himself weighed in on the incident. The Prince of Darkness sent along his best wishes as well as a condemnation of gun violence in his statement.
Jake E. Lee Shot in Las Vegas
Jake E. Lee, who these days has been recording with his band Red Dragon Cartel, had been out taking his dog for a walk early Tuesday morning when he was struck multiple times by gunfire.
A statement issued Tuesday revealed that the musician was “fully conscious and doing well in an intensive care unit.” The statement also added that Las Vegas authorities believed the shooting to be completely random.
What Ozzy Said About Jake E. Lee Being Shot
In his statement, Ozzy Osbourne admitted being estranged from his former guitarist for some time, but did reveal that he was still shocked to learn of the shooting.
“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,” said Ozzy in a statement to TMZ. “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.”
Jake E. Lee + Ozzy Osbourne
Lee played in several bands before the offer to join Ozzy Osbourne’s solo band came along. Among the groups were Teaser, the pre-Ratt lineup of Mickey Ratt and a brief stint with Dio.
When Brad Gillis decided to step away from Ozzy’s touring band, Lee auditioned for the vacant guitarist position. The guitarist was up against Dokken’s George Lynch for the position and eventually was selected by Ozzy.
READ MORE: The One Big Thing That Prevented Jake E. Lee’s Reunion With Ozzy
Lee contributed guitar work to the 1983 Ozzy album Bark at the Moon and its 1986 follow-up, The Ultimate Sin. But following touring support of the album, Lee was fired from Ozzy’s band.
Who Else Commented on Jake E. Lee’s Shooting?
Ozzy was not the only one weighing in on Jake E. Lee’s shooting. Former Ozzy Osbourne and longtime Night Ranger guitarist Brad Gillis commented, “I just heard about Jake E Lee. Glad to hear he is doing well. My thoughts are with ya, buddy!”
Poison‘s Bret Michaels shared, “To our friend Jake E. Lee – our thoughts, prayers and concerns go out to you, my friend, after hearing the news of you being shot in Las Vegas today. We are all pulling for you & hoping that you will have a speedy & incredible recovery.”
Journey‘s Neal Schon stated, “Crazy world. Take care Jake.”
Pro wrestler Frankie Kazarian offered, “Get well soon Jake E. Lee. Senseless, bullshit violence like this is sickening.”
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