The man arrested for the shooting of Lady Gaga’s dog walker was mistakingly released from California jail on Wednesday (6 April).
Nineteen-year-old James Howard Jackson is accused of shooting Ryan Fischer on 24 February 2021 while he was walking Gaga’s three French bulldogs in Hollywood.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has released a statement saying Jackson was released from custody “due to a clerical error,” and that police are now searching for him.
“The investigation is continuing and the LASD Major Crimes Bureau is actively working to get Mr Jackson back in custody,” the statement reads.
Jackson, along with two other suspects, allegedly shot Fischer and fled the scene in a car, kidnapping two of the dogs. Police brought the dogs home safely two days later.
Four additional suspects were arrested last April in connection to the case.
Jackson was charged with attempted murder, second degree robbery, conspiracy to commit a robbery, carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle, and assault with a deadly weapon.
A few days after the shooting, Fischer shared a post on Instagram detailing his “very close call with death”, referring to Gaga’s dog as his guardian angel.
He wrote: “While a car sped away and blood poured from my gun shot wound, an angel trotted over and laid next to me.
“My panicked screams calmed as I looked at her, even though it registered that the blood pooling around her tiny body was my own.”
