NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — A private screening of Lifetime’s docuseries Surviving R. Kelly in New York came to a halt after the NeueHouse Madison Square Garden theater was evacuated due to a gun threat.
A representative told Variety the event was evacuated as a precaution after the venue received two anonymous calls.
The event began with a screening at 7:00 p.m., with a panel discussion and a reception scheduled for afterward. However, about 15 minutes after the screening began, the theater received a pair of anonymous, threatening calls that stated that someone had brought a gun to the theater, per Variety.
The calls were routed to the New York Police Department who suggested evacuating the building.
“At tonight’s premiere of Lifetime’s documentary series ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ at NeueHouse Madison Square, several anonymous threats were called in. As a precaution, the network elected to evacuate the building. The safety and security of our panel, guests and staff is of paramount importance to Lifetime,” the network said in a statement.
“NeueHouse has always existed to celebrate creatives, entrepreneurs, and activists with important and meaningful stories to share. The safety of our storytellers and of our members is always our first priority. Tonight was no different. Despite non-credible threats called in during tonight’s screening, we followed appropriate safety protocols in collaboration with the NYPD and elected to postpone the event. We stand by the creative women bringing these heroic stories to light,” the theater said in a separate statement.
“Surviving R. Kelly” is a six-part documentary series that features the accounts of multiple women who have accused R. Kelly of sexual misconduct and abuse. In 2017, Kelly was accused by the parents of three different women of holding their daughters as part of an abusive cult.
R. Kelly has denied the allegations against him and no criminal charges have been brought against him.
Several of the families of the alleged victims were present at the screening on Tuesday.
