Suspect involved in shooting, robbery of Lady Gaga's dog walker recaptured
James Jackson
LOS ANGELES - The suspect who was involved in the shooting and robbery of Lady Gaga's dog walker was recaptured Wednesday after being mistakenly released from custody in April.
Nineteen-year-old James Jackson was arrested Wednesday at a home on Apricot Drive in the city of Palmdale.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Jackson was released from the county's custody on April 6, due to a clerical error. LASD called Jackson's sudden release "inadvertent".
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says they teamed up with the United States Marshal Service to search for Jackson after his release.
Back on February 24, 2021, Lady Gaga's dog walker, identified as Ryan Fischer, was shot while walking her three dogs in the Hollywood area. The suspects drove off from the scene with two of the pop star's dogs – Koji and Gustav. A third dog ran away from the scene but the police were able to safely find the dog that same night.
The shooting left Fischer hospitalized for weeks. Lady Gaga was in Rome at the time of the violent dognapping incident.
Jackson was one of five suspects involved in the crime.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Lady Gaga’s violent dognapping: $5K reward offered by US Marshals for suspect mistakenly released
- Lady Gaga dognapping: 5 suspects arrested for robbery, attempted murder of dog walker
- Lady Gaga's two stolen French bulldogs safely reunited with singer's representatives
- Lady Gaga dognapping: Surveillance video shows violent shooting of dog walker
Jaylin Keyshawn White, now 20, was immediately sentenced to four years in state prison in connection with the robbery plea and a sentence enhancement that another defendant was armed, according to Deputy District Attorney Michele Hanisee.
Three other charges -- attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury -- were dismissed as a result of his plea, the prosecutor said.
White was charged in April 2021 along with James Howard Jackson, now 19, and Lafayette Shon Whaley, now 28, in connection with the shooting.
Before White was sentenced, Fischer gave an emotional statement in which he said he almost died that night, but that the "mental and emotional trauma" had been much worse, according to Rolling Stone.
Lady Gaga's dog walker Ryan Fischer speaks out for first time since shooting
Ryan Fischer, Lady Gaga’s dog walker who was shot during a violent dognapping in Hollywood last week, spoke out on Monday for the first time since the horrific incident. His recollection of the events also revealed the acts of a mystery good Samaritan.
Surveillance video from a home security system shows Fischer walking on the sidewalk when a white sedan pulls up and stops in the street, with two people jumping from the back seat and saying, "Give it up."
A struggle ensued and one gunshot was fired, prompting Fischer to fall to the ground. The assailants each grabbed one dog and got back into the rear seat of the car, leaving Fischer on the ground yelling for help.
The singer's other bulldog, Miss Asia, ran back to Fischer on the ground after the assailants' vehicle disappeared from view.
Jennifer McBride -- who police said reported that she found the dogs and responded to a reward email to return them -- is charged with one count each of being an accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property.
The 52-year-old woman, who brought the dogs to the Los Angeles Police Department's Olympic Division, allegedly had a relationship with Harold White, the now-42-year-old father of Jaylin White, according to police and prosecutors.
Harold White is charged with one count each of being an accessory after the fact and possession of a firearm with an enumerated prior conviction involving a firearm.
City News Service contributed to this report