Craig Melvin, the co-host of the third hour of “Today,” assured viewers on Friday morning that he was “safe and sound” following an unauthorized intruder who entered the studio Thursday. Andrew Truelove, who is now in custody, was reportedly looking for Al Roker but approached Melvin and hurled racial slurs at him.
“I want to take a quick moment to address an incident that happened yesterday,” Melvin said on “Today.” “You may have heard that unfortunately an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A. Thankfully he was apprehended quickly. He was placed under arrest. We are cooperating fully with the NYPD as they investigate the matter.”
On Thursday, 41-year-old Truelove broke into the “Today” studio in New York City after slipping past security around 9 a.m. ET. He asked for the program’s longtime weatherman, Al Roker, and when he saw Melvin, he yelled racial slurs at the broadcaster. Truelove has since been charged on several counts, including hate crime, criminal trespassing and harassment, according to the NYPD. He has not yet been arraigned.
Truelove previously pled guilty to felony criminal mischief charges in June due to his connection to a case that involved damage to multiple vehicles. For that crime, he was sentenced to six months in jail.
“There was a security incident this morning at the ‘TODAY’ show studio,” a representative for the NBC show told TheWrap on Thursday. “An individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A. The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident.
“There was no altercation, and no one was injured,” the statement continued. “‘TODAY’ is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the matter. NBC and ‘TODAY’ take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously. We are reviewing the incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios.”
