A Today Show security guard reportedly faced discipline after a hate-crime suspect got near the studio and approached Craig Melvin. The incident took place during a live broadcast and caused a brief disruption as staff moved to address the situation. This isn’t the first on-air disruption for a daytime show, though cases with an intruder facing criminal charges are few and far between.
Security guard reportedly fired after Today Show intruder incident
NBC allegedly dismissed a security guard after an intruder got onto the Today Show set and confronted co-host Craig Melvin on Thursday, July 16.
TMZ reported that the guard was fired that same day after a man bypassed security at the show’s NYC headquarters. The individual was reportedly searching for meteorologist Al Roker. He ended up lunging at the broadcaster and shouted a racial slur at him.
According to the outlet and the New York Police Department, Andrew Truelove, 41, was taken into custody. The charges include hate crime criminal trespass, along with hate crime menacing, hate crime burglary, and harassment.
Meanwhile, a Today Show spokesperson told Us Weekly in a statement, “There was a security incident this morning at the Today Show studio. 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. 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,” they added.
Additionally, Craig Melvin took to Instagram on Thursday evening to address the intruder incident, writing: “Hey everyone. I’ve heard from so many of you over the last few hours. I’m doing just fine. Thanks for reaching out. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning on @todayshow.”
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi on Mandatory.