In a horrifying moment Thursday morning, a man slipped through security at the “Today” show at 30 Rockefeller Center, lunged toward Craig Melvin, yelled the N-word at his co-anchor and was arrested.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. ET but was not captured on the “Today” broadcast. TMZ first reported. Citing law enforcement officials, the newspaper reported that the intruders were trying to locate Al Roker, a longtime Today weatherman and personality. When Roker was not found, the man confronted Melvin and lunged at him while shouting the N-word. The man was arrested and no one was injured.
NBC News acknowledged in a statement that “a security incident occurred this morning” at the “Today” show studio and said it was “fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies investigating this matter.”
“An individual entered an unauthorized area of the vestibule near Studio 1A. The individual approached anchor Craig Melvin and security alerted him,” NBC News said in a statement. “The individual was taken into custody by law enforcement without incident and taken into custody. There was no altercation and no one was injured.”
The statement continued: “NBC and Today take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests very seriously. We are reviewing this incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at or visits our studios.”
On Thursday afternoon, Melvin posted to X: “So many people have reached out to me over the last few hours. I’m fine. Thank you for reaching out to me. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning on @TODAYshow.” He also included a statement from NBC News.
Officials say the suspect entered the lobby of Studio 1A and proceeded through a golden door on the first floor. There he had a brief verbal exchange with Melvin on the building’s stairs, and Melvin followed the individual back into the lobby, where the individual was briefly detained by 30 Rockefeller guards. NYPD officers then entered the lobby and handcuffed the subject.
An NYPD media spokesperson told Variety that at approximately 8:57 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, “uniformed officers assigned to 30 Rockefeller Center received a report of a disorderly individual in the building. Responding officers entered the building shortly after and took the individual into custody without incident. There are no reports of injuries and the investigation remains active and ongoing. Charges are pending.”
Melvin was named co-anchor of Today in 2018, and in January 2025, he replaced Hoda Kotb as Savannah Guthrie’s co-anchor for the show’s first two hours. He also serves as co-host of the third hour of “Today” and host of the syndicated broadcast “Dateline NBC.” Melvin has worked with and for NBC for many years. In 2008, Melvin joined WRC, NBC’s Washington DC station, and began anchoring its weekend newscasts. He joined MSNBC in 2011.
Separately, Guthrie announced on Thursday’s Today show that he would be taking a few weeks off from the show to film a new Wardle Game show he will host. “I’ll be heading out to film Wardle over the next few weeks,” Guthrie told viewers. “I’m really excited because we’re going to be filming the whole season. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
It was announced in May that NBC has greenlit the “Wordle” show, which Guthrie will host, to premiere in 2027. The show is produced by Jimmy Fallon and The New York Times, which owns and operates The Game after acquiring it in 2022.
