A man has been taken into custody following a bomb threat directed at a well-known television programme’s venue in New York City. Reports have indicated that the target of the threat was the iconic Saturday Night Live studios. The New York Police Department (NYPD) stated to PEOPLE that they were informed of a bomb threat within the Midtown North Precinct around 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday, April 1. The individual implicated in the threat, Michael Branham from Glen Head, N.Y., has since been arrested in connection with the incident.
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Branham, aged 48, was apprehended on Wednesday, April 2, based on charges of making a threat of mass harm and falsely reporting an incident, as per public court records. Court documents have shown that he pleaded not guilty to both accusations and is currently being held on a bail of $100,000. Despite attempts to get a response from SNL studios, no comments have been made in regards to the incident on Saturday, April 5. NBC News highlighted that Branham allegedly conveyed the threat to the SNL studios at 30 Rockefeller Center to a college located in Connecticut. However, the threat was ultimately deemed not credible by authorities.
The connection between Branham and actress Scarlett Johansson has also been brought into focus, as his name matches that of an individual whom Johansson had sought a restraining order against in California. The restraining order was reportedly denied on a technicality. Johansson, who is married to Colin Jost, a cast member and head writer for SNL, has not issued a public statement on the matter. Reports from The New York Post detailed that Branham’s attorney, Jamie Niskanen-Singer, urged the court to lower the bail amount, citing Branham’s past encounters with scammers impersonating Johansson online. Niskanen-Singer explained that these scammers could potentially be behind the threats, stating, “He has given out information. He may have been hacked, your honor. It’s very possible here that there is someone that is setting him up.”
Efforts to reach out to Branham’s attorney, representatives for Johansson and NBC for comments regarding the case on April 5 were met with no immediate response. This incident serves as a reminder of the serious consequences that threats of violence can have, even when deemed not credible. It highlights the importance of swift and diligent action by law enforcement to ensure the safety and security of all individuals involved. The ongoing investigation will shed more light on the motives and circumstances surrounding this alarming threat. Stay tuned for updates as the story develops.