Chicago woman beaten while struggling with gunman who stole her French bulldog

May 26, 2023, 5:06 AM

CHICAGO (AP) — A Chicago woman says she was beaten and her French bulldog was stolen at gunpoint as she was taking it for a walk in her northwest side neighborhood.

Alicja Pierzchala, 64, told reporters that the attack occurred Wednesday evening in Portage Park.

“I just walk with my Peppa,” Pierzchala said. “She was sniffing, walking, all of a sudden behind of me I felt pressure.”

Pierzchala said she struggled with the gunman and was later treated at a hospital for cuts to her wrists, forehead and a concussion.

She adopted Peppa nearly two months ago.

No arrests have been made, police said.

In 2021, a dog walker for pop star Lady Gaga was shot and wounded and two of the singer’s French bulldogs were taken during an armed robbery in Hollywood.

The man was walking three of Lady Gaga’s dogs at the time but one escaped.

Authorities have said it was a coincidence that the dogs belonged to the singer and that the motive for the theft was the value of the French bulldogs, a breed that can run into the thousands of dollars.

The man who shot the dog walker and stole the dogs was later arrested and sentenced to 21 years in prison.

United States News

Associated Press

Fertility doctor accused of using own sperm dies in crash of hand-built plane

YATES, N.Y. (AP) — A New York fertility doctor who was accused of using his own sperm to impregnate several patients died over the weekend when the hand-built airplane he was in fell apart mid-flight and crashed, authorities said. Dr. Morris Wortman, 72, of Rochester, was a passenger in the experimental aircraft that went down […]

11 hours ago

FILE - Pauline Bauer leans against a wooden statue outside Bob's Trading Post, her restaurant in Ha...

Associated Press

Woman who threatened Nancy Pelosi with hanging during Capitol riot gets over 2 years in prison

A Pennsylvania restaurant owner who screamed death threats directed at then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while storming the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday to more than two years in prison. Pauline Bauer was near Pelosi’s office suite on Jan. 6, 2021, when she yelled at police officers to bring out the California Democrat so the […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia, the Carter Center says

ATLANTA (AP) — Former first lady Rosalynn Carter has dementia and remains at home, her family has announced. Carter, now 95, remains at home with former President Jimmy Carter, who has been at home receiving hospice care since early this year. “She continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

2 more inmates escape from Mississippi jail with security problems, 1 caught

RAYMOND, Miss. (AP) — One of two inmates who escaped from a Mississippi jail that is under federal scrutiny for poor security and management was captured hours later, while another remained on the loose, authorities said Tuesday. Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said Michael Lewis of Jackson and Joseph Spring of Byram, both 31, were […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

AUDIO QUIZ: Try to spell the words from the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — The middle school-age spellers who make it to the finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee spend years studying roots and language patterns and poring over the dictionary in order to give themselves a chance to be crowned bee champion. They use those skills to decipher what letters could possibly […]

11 hours ago

FILE - Marijuana plants grow at a Minnesota Medical Solutions greenhouse on May 5, 2015, in Otsego,...

Associated Press

Minnesota governor readies to sign bill legalizing recreational cannabis

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (AP) — Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled to sign a bill Tuesday that legalizes recreational marijuana for people over the age of 21, making Minnesota the 23rd state to legalize the substance for adults. Former Gov. Jesse Ventura, who supported legalization when he served from 1999-2003, is expected to attend […]

11 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

(Photo by Michael Matthey/picture alliance via Getty Images)...

Cox Communications

Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices

KTAR’s Community Spotlight focuses on the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley and the work to incorporate esports into children's lives.

Chicago woman beaten while struggling with gunman who stole her French bulldog