Police investigating a shooting threat at an R. Kelly documentary screening in New York City last week say they’ve identified a person of interest—someone who may have ties to Chicago, Kelly’s hometown.
According to TMZ, police say the person who threatened to shoot up the Surviving R. Kelly documentary called in from a phone with a Chicago area code. At this point, law enforcement haven’t named the person, nor is it clear whether they have any connection to R. Kelly.
The documentary focuses on decades of abuse allegations against R. Kelly, interviewing his associates and women who say they had been victimized by the singer. The accusations include claims that the self-titled “Pied Piper” of R&B physically and sexually abused multiple women, and that he groomed and coerced others to be part of a sex cult. A Q&A featuring some of the documentary’s participants was also scheduled after the film.
The gun threat was called in 20 minutes into the screening at NeueHouse Madison Square last Tuesday night. The caller—who had a male-sounding voice—said someone in the audience had a gun and would shoot if the screening continued, TMZ reports.
R. Kelly’s ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, who was part of the documentary and was slated to speak at the Q&A, told Variety she believes the threat was connected to Kelly himself. Far from discouraged, though, she also told Rolling Stone the warning was indicative that she and other survivors and advocates were on the “right track.”
“We’re causing people to listen,” she said. “We’re getting people’s attention and we’re getting attention from the one who thought that he was invincible and untouchable. And that also applies to the people that work for him and the people that are around him.”