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Police rush to R. Kelly's apartment amid alleged 'suicide pact' call

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Chicago Police rushed to R. Kelly's apartment at Trump Tower on Tuesday evening after receiving a call that stated that the singer's girlfriends were attempting to carry out a "suicide pact."

The Chicago Police Department said in a statement obtained by E! News that they received the call from the 400th block of North Wabash street at around 5:18 p.m.

According to the statement, "Police received a call from an out of state anonymous caller stating that people at the location were going to carry out a suicide pact. Police on scene conducting a wellness check and it is not a bonafide incident."

 

A dispatcher, who received an anonymous call, can be heard telling officers that Kelly's girlfriend Azriel Clary and "four other women, who are victims of R. Kelly are planning to carry out a suicide pact at one of the condos at Trump Tower."

However, the anonymous caller did not give out any details on when the alleged suicide would take place or give a specific unit number, reported People.

Emergency responders arrived just before 5:30 p.m., the Chicago Police Department confirmed to People in a statement.

However, it was later proved to be a false alarm.

Kelly's publicist called the reports "fake" and told E! News in a statement, "He's fine. He's getting ready [to] rehearse and sing some songs."

Prior to the release of documentary series 'Surviving R. Kelly' in January, one of the singer's early alleged victims Lizzette Martinez spoke to People and claimed that Kelly had a suicide pact with the women living "in his house."

"He's taking this to a whole other level and I'm so worried about the young women in the house," Martinez had said.

"I mean my anxiety is constantly through the roof because I hear the parents, I hear there's a plan in place. That he's put it in place that if something goes down they're all going to take pills and kill… I just can't," she added.

Last week, Kelly's girlfriends Clary and Jocelyn Savage spoke about the singer and the current situation at length during an interview with Gayle King for 'CBS This Morning'.

Both the women denied that the singer tore them away from their now-estranged families and also refused claims that Kelly has been holding them hostage for years.

The parents of both Savage and Clary claimed that the two are living with Kelly against their will and are a part of what the parents describe as his "sex cult."

During the interview, Clary, who met Kelly when she was 17, claimed that she never had sex with the singer while she was underage. However, she added that her parents pushed her to take photos and videos of a sexual nature with him, so they could use them to blackmail if they ever need to.

However, Clary's parents released a statement via their attorney on March 7, claiming their daughter "is presently suffering from years of mental abuse and manipulation by R. Kelly," and denied the allegations made against them.

The singer has been embroiled in a slew of legal problems and scandals lately.

Kelly was released from jail on February 25 after being charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse against four alleged victims.

The 52-year-old singer secured his release by paying 10 per cent of his USD 1 million bail amount.

Last week, Kelly was arrested again for not being able to pay outstanding child support. He was released from jail on March 9 after someone anonymously paid USD 161,633 the singer owed in back child support.

The allegations around the singer rose after the broadcast of 'Surviving R. Kelly'. Last year, reports of Kelly holding women captive in a "sex cult" were published. Multiple other reports have surfaced over the years.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

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First Published: Mar 13 2019 | 10:26 AM IST

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