:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(758x460:760x462)/SNL-studio-040525-43653923588045719bb9e5d862a35f02.jpg?ssl=1 "Man Arrested After Allegedly Threatening to Bomb ‘Saturday Evening Dwell’ Venue")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/SNL-studio-040525-43653923588045719bb9e5d862a35f02.jpg)
A person has been arrested following a bomb menace in New York Metropolis, with shops reporting that the goal was the Saturday Evening Dwell studios.
The New York Police Division (NYPD) confirmed to PEOPLE that they acquired a report of a bomb menace throughout the Midtown North Precinct at roughly 7 a.m. native time on Tuesday, April 1. They added that Michael Branham of Glen Head, N.Y., has since been arrested because of the investigation.
Public court docket data present that Branham, 48, was arrested on Wednesday, April 2, on expenses of creating a menace of mass hurt and falsely reporting an incident. Courtroom data present that he pleaded not responsible to each expenses. His bail is ready at $100,000.
SNL didn’t reply to PEOPLE’s request for touch upon Saturday, April 5.
In response to NBC Information, Branham allegedly communicated a menace to the SNL studios at 30 Rockefeller Middle to a school in Connecticut, which subsequently reported the menace to authorities. The outlet added that the menace was not deemed credible.
NBC additionally reported that Branham’s title matches that of an individual whom actress Scarlett Johansson has sought a restraining order in opposition to in California, although the outlet stated the order was denied on a technicality. Johansson, 40, is married to Colin Jost, an SNL castmember and head author.
Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto by way of Getty
By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free every day publication to remain up-to-date on the very best of what PEOPLE has to supply, from superstar information to driving human curiosity tales.
The New York Publish reported that Branham’s lawyer, Jamie Niskanen-Singer, requested the court docket decrease his shopper’s bail, arguing that Branham has been scammed up to now by individuals posing as Johansson on-line and that these scammers might really be those behind the threats.
“He has given out data. He might have been hacked, your honor. It’s very doable right here that there’s somebody that’s setting him up,” Niskanen-Singer stated, per the outlet.
PEOPLE reached out to Branham’s lawyer, representatives for Johansson and NBC on April 5, however didn’t obtain a right away response.
