NBC has reportedly taken action after a frightening security breach at Today ended with an intruder reaching Craig Melvin inside 30 Rockefeller Center.
TMZ reported that a security guard was fired Thursday after the incident, which unfolded near Studio 1A.
Page Six also reported that the firing followed questions about how the man got past security and into a restricted area.
NBC has not publicly detailed any personnel action, but the network has confirmed it is reviewing the incident and its security protocols.
The Breach Happened Before the Live Broadcast
People reported that the man entered the NBC studio at Rockefeller Plaza around 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 16. Sources told the outlet that he had asked for Al Roker before confronting Melvin and allegedly yelling racial slurs.
The NYPD said officers responded to a report of a disorderly person inside 30 Rockefeller Center and took an individual into custody. No injuries were reported, and the investigation remained active and ongoing.
People later identified the suspect as Andrew Truelove, 41, and reported that he was charged with hate crime-burglary, hate crime-menacing, hate crime-criminal trespass and harassment. Truelove had not yet been arraigned at the time of People’s report.
TMZ Says a Guard Was Terminated
TMZ reported that NBC fired a security guard after the breach, citing sources who said the guard allegedly allowed the suspect to slip into the Studio 1A area. The outlet said a Today representative declined to comment on the firing.
The report also said security footage showed two guards near the entrance when the incident happened. According to TMZ’s summary of Page Six’s reporting, one guard briefly stepped away while another failed to notice the man entering the restricted space.
Craig Melvin Returned to the Show
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Melvin alerted security during the incident, and the man was detained before the situation escalated further. NBC later said there was no altercation and no one was injured.
Melvin reassured viewers on Instagram later Thursday, writing that he was doing fine and planned to be back on Today the next morning.
On Friday’s broadcast, Melvin addressed the incident on air. He said the intruder had entered an unauthorized area, was apprehended quickly and was placed under arrest. Laura Jarrett told him the team wanted to make sure he was safe, and Melvin replied that he was “safe and sound.”
Entertainment Weekly reported that NBC confirmed it is reviewing the incident and its security protocols. The network said it takes the safety of employees, talent, staff and guests seriously and is cooperating with law enforcement.