Ozzy Osbourne’s Former Guitarist Was Shot Multiple Times in Las Vegas

Jake E. Lee, the legendary guitarist who once rocked stages alongside Ozzy Osbourne, is recovering in the hospital after a terrifying incident in Las Vegas. Lee was shot multiple times early Tuesday morning while simply taking his dog for a walk.

TMZ first reported that the musician was struck by several bullets in what authorities believe was a “random” street shooting. Fortunately, despite the severity of the attack, Lee’s condition is stable.

His manager, Tim Heyne, told The Associated Press, “By the grace of God, no major organs were hit, he’s fully responsive, and expected to make a full recovery.”

Currently, Lee remains in an intensive care unit but is fully conscious and showing promising signs of recovery. The Las Vegas Metro Police Department confirmed that no arrests have been made.

The authorities claim that they do not believe the guitarist was specifically targeted. The investigation into the 2:40 AM shooting is ongoing, with police describing it as an unpredictable act of violence.

In the wake of Lee’s recent shooting incident, fellow guitarist Brad Gillis took to X to express his support. “I just heard about Jake E. Lee. Glad to hear he is doing well. My thoughts are with ya, buddy[sic]!” wrote the musician.

Mark Strigl, a host at SiriusXM, also shared his concern, writing, “Thinking of and praying for Jake E. Lee.” As news of the incident spread, many in the music community have voiced their sympathy including Osbourne.

The rocker and TV personality took to Instagram to wish his former bandmate a speedy recovery. In a touching post, the rock icon shared a throwback photo of the two musicians together, paired with a heartfelt message.

He wrote, “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 just hope he’ll be ok.”

Fans and rock enthusiasts quickly rallied in the comments, sending an outpouring of well-wishes for Lee’s recovery. One user wrote, “With Ozzy getting older, I think now is aa good as time as ever to reunite, if only a private visit[sic].”

Another added, “Definitely some unnecessary gun violence. I hope Jake is Ok. Ozz,[sic] you should keep in contact and if you release more music, invite Jake. He was great with you.”

A third comment echoed the sentiments of many rock fans, urging Osbourne to collaborate with his former guitarist once again. “Love you Jake! Oz, you better bring him on board to rip a solo on your next album,” the person wrote.

In a 2022 interview, Osbourne reflected on his time working with Lee, acknowledging the guitarist’s talent. He noted that having a strong guitarist is crucial for the success of a band, explaining that “when you’ve got a crap one, the band is crap, but when you’ve got someone who shines…”

He went on to describe Lee as a great guitarist, though admitted that their relationship had been strained due to outside influences. Osbourne shared that his former drummer, Randy Castillo, had turned him against Lee, which was unfortunate, as he had no personal issues with him and still recognized Lee’s abilities.

In a 2014 interview on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation,” Lee revealed that he wrote most of the music for Osbourne’s 1983 album “Bark At The Moon” alongside bassist Bob Daisley but didn’t receive any credit due to an agreement with Osbourne and the record label at the time.

During the interview, Lee recalled that he had been promised songwriting credit and publishing rights. However, after completing his guitar work on the album, he was presented with a contract stating that Osbourne had written all the songs.

The contract further stipulated that Lee had no involvement in the songwriting and was prohibited from publicly claiming otherwise.

Lee, born in Norfolk, Virginia, and raised in San Diego, made a name for himself in the 1980s. Before rising to prominence, Lee played in several bands, including an early version of Ratt. His big break came in 1982 when he joined Osbourne’s band, staying until 1987.

After his time with Osbourne, Lee formed the metal band Badlands and later pursued a solo career, releasing two albums. Most recently, he has been the driving force behind the band Red Dragon Cartel. Now 67, Lee’s influence on the rock and metal scene continues to resonate.

Meanwhile, Osbourne has continued to thrive in his own right, though he has faced significant health struggles in recent years. In 2023, the Black Sabbath legend reflected on his surprising longevity, admitting he often wonders why, among all his friends, he’s still alive.

Osbourne has lost people close to him in the past, including all of his drinking partners. He even claimed “graveyards full of them” exist. However, he believes he should have passed way before they did.

“Why am I the last man standing? I don’t understand any of it,” he asked in confusion before saying, “I’m not boasting about any of it because I should have been dead a thousand times. I’ve had my stomach pumped. God knows how many times.”

In 2019, Osbourne experienced a fall that brought out issues from an old spinal injury. He has had several procedures to fix the problem, including one where two metal plates screwed to his spine were removed. At one point, he experienced severe nerve pain that made him pray not to wake up the following morning.

Although his condition has since improved, he still experiences challenges with his mobility at times. “My feet feel like I’ve got bricks tied to them when I’m walking,” he said.

Still, in 2023, Ozzy Osbourne revealed that he was going to have his last surgery on his neck as he could no longer take it. According to the performer, he had his mind set on having no more surgeries, regardless of how the procedure turned out.

In addition, Osbourne was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003 while in rehab. He kept the sickness a secret from the media until early 2020. Fortunately, his Parkinson’s is still mild with bearable struggles.

With the encouragement of his daughter, Osbourne has become more active and tries to manage his mental state with antidepressants. He also takes other medications for his Parkinson’s.

Despite his health issues, Osbourne does not fear death. What he wants to avoid is being in a miserable state while still living in pain. He believes he still has ten years left and is living life to the fullest until then.