Houston gang member accused of shooting woman while on bond for 2017 murder

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston police say a documented gang member is behind bars again after a week's long search for the convicted felon with an extensive violent criminal history.

Shaquille Richards, 28, has two assault charges for attacking a woman who police say was his girlfriend in September. He also allegedly shot a separate girlfriend in October.

Court records show Richards was out on bond, accused of directing a street gang and organizing a 2017 gang murder.

In an exclusive interview with ABC13, the woman who was shot in October, Majesty Otems, said she had no idea about Richards' extensive violent criminal history.

The 21-year-old said she had only been dating Richards for two months before the night she was shot. Otems said it started as an argument that turned physical, and when she tried to get away, she was shot in the back near her hip.

"I think about it every night," said Otems, who still has a bullet lodged in her hip and uses a walker. "I had to crawl in the grass to find my phone because it was so dark outside."

Richards, who was released from prison in April after serving nearly five years for a 2016 aggravated robbery, was re-booked in jail a day later on gang-related charges.

Investigators said it was during his time in prison that he orchestrated a retaliatory gang shooting that left an innocent bystander, 53-year old Sam Johnson, dead.

Charges were filed while Richards was in prison, yet he was still granted his parole.

After being re-booked a day after his release, he was granted a $500,000 bond - which he made. Had Richards not been given a bond, Otems said she wouldn't be struggling with a walker.

"People who have a long history of criminal records, they need to stop letting them out on bonds," said Otems. "He's a threat to society and I feel like he's gonna hurt someone else... he just doesn't care."

Richards is currently being held with no bond.