Crime Lady Gaga Dog Walker Shooting Suspect Mistakenly Released from Jail James Howard Jackson is accused of shooting Ryan Fischer, who was walking Lady Gaga's dogs when he was attacked on Feb. 24, 2021 By Greg Hanlon Greg Hanlon Greg Hanlon has been an editor in PEOPLE’s crime vertical since 2015. He has been covering crime for more than 15 years. His work has appeared previously in The New York Times and Slate. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 8, 2022 10:35 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Ryan Fischer, James Howard Jackson. Photo: Ryan Fischer/Instagram; Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department The man accused of shooting Lady Gaga's dog walker in a robbery last year was mistakenly released from custody on Wednesday — and police are now searching for him. According to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, James Howard Jackson, 19, was released Wednesday "due to a clerical error." "The investigation is continuing and the LASD Major Crimes Bureau is actively working to get Mr. Jackson back in custody," says the statement, which describes Jackson's release as "inadvertent." Jackson is accused of shooting Ryan Fischer on Feb. 24, 2021 while Fischer was walking Gaga's three French bulldogs. He along with two other suspects allegedly fled in a car with two of the dogs, named Koji and Gustav, though the dogs were returned safely to police two days later. Ryan Fischer, Lady Gaga. Ryan Fischer Instagram; NINA PROMMER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Ryan Fischer Reveals His Lung Collapsed Several Times After Shooting Last April, five suspects were arrested in the case, including Jackson, who was charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, second-degree robbery, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and a felon carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Jail records do not show if he has an attorney or entered pleas to the charges. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Shortly after the shooting, Gaga, 36, released a statement calling Fischer a "hero" and asked for information pertaining to the whereabouts of her stolen dogs. Fischer was critically injured during the attack and suffered a collapsed lung. In an emotional Instagram post afterward, he wrote about confronting his mortality after the attack. Ryan Fischer. Saint Rocque/ instagram "In the hospital, my lung collapsed again despite the chest tube poking at my insides," he wrote. "And then it collapsed again. And again. It became quite clear that my lung was not healing, and the bullet wound had scarred my tissue like a burn. It could take months, if ever, for the hole to seal." 5 Suspects Arrested in Kidnapping of Lady Gaga's Dogs — Including Woman Who Returned Them to Police Fischer's wallet was not stolen during the robbery, and authorities said they believed the suspects intended to rob Fischer because of the value of the French bulldogs — which are among the most popular dog breeds and are easy to steal because of their small size, dog experts say. Lady Gaga and her dogs. Lady Gaga/Instagram (2) In an interview last September with CBS' Gayle King on CBS Mornings, Fischer said, "I think they just saw a guy with three French bulldogs." Lady Gaga's Dog Walker Stayed in Singer's House for 'Months' After Horrific Attack: 'She's Helped Me So Much' He added, "The one thing I've noticed in L.A. while walking the dogs is people would say out of the cars, 'How much are those dogs worth?' Like, 'How much are they? Can I buy them?' And that part was always surprising — the viewing of the dog as a commodity." Fischer also talked about Gaga, and how she has been a constant supporter as he continues his recovery. "She's helped me so much," he said. "She's been a friend for me and after I was attacked, my family was flown out and I had trauma therapists flown to me and I stayed at her house for months while friends comforted me and security was around me."