CNN’s New York City offices were evacuated for nearly two hours, and live programming on the cable news network was temporarily replaced by reruns, after a bomb threat was called in to the building.
According to the official New York Police Department’s Twitter account, the bomb threat was called in at 10:07 p.m. ET. A “comprehensive sweep search” of CNN offices was conducted, police said. CNN reported just after 11:55 p.m. that police had given the all clear.
CNN host Don Lemon told followers on Twitter that he was evacuated in the middle of his nightly show. A repeat of Thursday’s episode of “Anderson Cooper 360” was aired after the evacuation.
“We were evacuated in the middle of my live show. Bomb threat,” Lemon tweeted. “We’re running taped programming. NYPD is investigating. Stay tuned. #cnn #nypd.”
“The NYPD is investigating a bomb threat near CNN NYC’s office at Columbus Circle,” CNN senior media reporter Brian Stelter said on Twitter around 10:45 p.m. “Due to the threat, the office has been evacuated. Right now CNN is airing taped programming due to the disruption.”
Approximately 40 minutes after suspending the live broadcast, the network resumed programming with Lemon and Stelter reporting live on the scene. Video broadcast during the report showed barricades being erected by police.
CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap. New York police also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.