Today Show Intruder Hurled Racial Slur at Craig Melvin Before Arrest on Hate Crime Charges

A Terrifying Morning at 30 Rock

On Thursday, July 17, a man broke through security at the "Today" show set at Rockefeller Center and was arrested after he lunged at co-host Craig Melvin and shouted the N-word. The brazen breach rattled one of the most recognizable studios in American television — a building most people assume is a fortress of security — and left colleagues, viewers, and NBC executives shaken.

The security breach happened right before 9 a.m., during the middle of the "Today" show broadcast, when the man entered the lobby and headed through gold doors on the first floor and went upstairs. He encountered Melvin, who chased the man back through the lobby in an encounter that lasted eight to ten seconds. The incident was not captured during the broadcast, and nobody was hurt.

Who Was the Intruder — and What Did He Want?

The man who allegedly stormed the "Today" show set and lunged at host Craig Melvin has been identified as Andrew Truelove, and he has a lengthy criminal history, including a felony conviction. The intruder had eight previous arrests in the city, primarily for mischief, and was on probation for one of them that involved attacking a worker at his residence in the Bowery neighborhood of Lower Manhattan.

Law enforcement sources said the intruder was trying to locate longtime "Today" weatherman and personality Al Roker. When he couldn't find Roker, the man confronted Melvin — lunging at him while yelling the N-word. Police apprehended Truelove, 41, charging him with "burglary, menacing, criminal trespass, all as hate crimes, and harassment." Truelove, who did not enter a plea, was ordered held on $10,000 bail or $10,000 partially secured bond. A full temporary order of protection was also put in place, and Truelove is due back in court July 22.

Melvin Speaks Out — and a Guard Loses His Job

Melvin, on Friday morning's "Today" broadcast, briefly addressed the incident to viewers. "You may have heard that unfortunately an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A," he said. "Thankfully, he was apprehended quickly. He was placed under arrest. We are cooperating fully with the NYPD as they investigate the matter. And we are just very happy that everyone is safe."

The security guard who reportedly failed to keep the intruder out of the studio has been fired. Surveillance video captured intruder suspect Andrew Truelove slipping past two security guards — one stepped away while the other "missed the intruder" as he walked in. Several NBC employees said they were shocked by the breach, given the level of security in place around 30 Rockefeller Center, noting that work badges must be swiped or inspected multiple times to enter the building.

NBC Reviews Security as Questions Linger

NBC and "Today" stated they "take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously" and are "reviewing the incident and our security protocols" while remaining "committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios." The firing of the security guard signals that consequences are already being handed down — but the bigger question of how a man with eight prior arrests walked into one of the most famous buildings in New York during a live broadcast will likely haunt NBC's security team for some time.

Melvin was named a co-anchor of "Today" in 2018 and in January 2025 replaced Hoda Kotb as Savannah Guthrie's co-anchor in the show's first two hours. He also serves as a co-host of the third hour of "Today" and a host of syndicated "Dateline NBC" broadcasts. That a veteran anchor of his stature was left to personally confront and chase off an intruder — rather than being protected before any encounter occurred — raises serious, uncomfortable questions about the gap between a network's security reputation and its real-world execution. With hate crime charges now filed and a court date set, this story is far from over.