A special education teacher who used to perform as a clown called Mister Jazzz has been accused of shooting his wife dead as she desperately tried to call 911.
James Anderson, 37, allegedly fatally shot Victoria Anderson, 34, on Sunday night at their home in Harris County, Texas, while the couple’s three-year-old son was also in the house. The small child was unharmed.
A Houston police report stated that Victoria was on the phone to 911 at the time, telling the dispatcher that her husband was “threatening to shoot her”.
Then, the dispatcher heard a gunshot while she was still on the line, the report said.
“The call-taker reported hearing a gunshot while on the phone with the woman,” the report said.
Houston police officers arrived on the scene and asked Mr Anderson to step outside the house.
“He refused to do so, but allowed the couple’s son, three, to exit the house,” police said.
Mr Anderson was then arrested on the scene and has since been charged with murder.
The 37-year-old has worked at Santa Fe Middle School in Texas since 2022, where he is the chairman of the special educational department.
A statement from the school read: “[We are] deeply saddened to hear of the tragic domestic violence situation involving one of the staff members at Santa Fe Middle School, James Anderson.
James Anderson, 37, as Mister Jazzz the clown— (YouTube / @misterjazzzTX)
“Mr Anderson has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation. We would like to reiterate that this situation occurred domestically and did not take place on campus. Additional counselling and crisis support has been made available for students and staff at Santa Fe Middle School.”
Prior to his teaching work, he spent years working as a clown called Mister Jazzz,The New York Post reported.
His clown portfolio is still available online, with videos showing him making animal models from balloons.
Mr Anderson is being held in jail with his bail set at $300,000.
He is set to appear before a court on 13 December to potentially enter a plea on the murder charges.
It has been reported that the couple’s unnamed son is now in the care of relatives.
