Suspect in Lady Gaga Dog Walker Shooting Mistakenly Released From Jail

Last year, Lady Gaga’s dog walker Ryan Fischer was shot in the chest while he was walking the Million Reasons singer’s three pets, two of which were then stolen by the attackers. A few months later, three men – James Howard Jackson, 18, Jaylin White, 19 and Lafayette Whaley, 27 – were all charged with one count of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and second-degree robbery.

Related | Lady Gaga's Dogs Safely Recovered

Now, Jackson – one of the suspects – is apparently running free after “an administrative mistake," or at least this is what law enforcement sources shared with NBCLA.

According to E! News, Jackson was set free after he appeared in court on April 6. Due to a delayed revision of both court and jailed records, authorities failed to file a replacement criminal case – a mistake that ultimately led to Jackson being released that same day.

Related | Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Speaks Out About Shooting

On top of the charges he shared with White and Whaley – to which they all plead not guilty – Jackson was also charged with one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one for carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle.

Following the shooting, the former dog walker – who was hospitalized in order to repair a collapsed lung – opened up about his struggles and fears. In an Instagram post published in May 2021, he shared that he was “not yet in the proper headspace to care for dogs” and added “(whenever I perceive a dog is in danger I go on high alert and then break down and cry after), my purpose for the last ten years has suddenly vanished.”

Related | Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Defends Her Against Post-Shooting Criticism

Authorities have yet to comment on the clerical accident.

Photo via Getty/ Gilbert Carrasquillo/ FilmMagic