The police are taking the threat of violence that caused the evacuation of the premiere of the R. Kelly docuseries Surviving R. Kelly very seriously. After looking into the crime, they have a person of interest.
The Lifetime series, filled with claims from women who allege they’ve been physically and mentally abused by Kells, was set to debut at the NeueHouse Madison Square in New York City on Dec. 4. But an anonymous caller made several calls to the venue with threats of violence including claims that someone in attendance would open fire on the crowd if the showing continued. It was initially noted that the call came from a Chicago number. Now police know who owns that number and want to speak with them about the incident, reports TMZ.
According to their source, the police are not ready to release the name of the POI and are not sure if he or she has any ties to Kelly.
The threats were taken seriously by Lifetime and the venue who immediately evacuated the premiere. “As a precaution, we evacuated,” a Lifetime representative said. “Tonight’s all about the safety of everyone—we’re not even thinking of what to do next yet.”
Surviving R. Kelly is a three-part series that interviewed people who claim to have suffered first-hand abuse from the singer. It also delves into the alleged sex cult he is accused of heading out of a house in Atlanta.