NEW YORK — A 40-year-old New York man faces hate crime charges following a confrontation with “Today” show host Craig Melvin at NBC’s studio in Manhattan.
The man was arrested Thursday morning inside 30 Rockefeller Center in Midtown by an officer responding to reports of a disorderly individual inside the building, police said Friday.
NBC News says in a statement that an individual approached Melvin after entering an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A. Melvin notified security, who held the man until police arrived, according to NBC.
No altercation occurred and no injuries were reported. NBC did not say how the man gained access to the area.
“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,” the network said in a statement.
The man has been charged with burglary, menacing and criminal trespass as hate crimes, as well as harassment. It was not clear Friday if has appeared in court or if he has an attorney.
Police did not say what led to the hate crime enhancements on the charges. Police records show a court date has been scheduled for Wednesday.
Melvin, who is Black, discussed the incident on-air Friday morning.
“Unfortunately, an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A,” Melvin said. “Thankfully, he was apprehended quickly. He was placed under arrest. We are just very happy that everyone is safe.”
Melvin also posted about the incident on Instagram.
“Hey everyone. I’ve heard from so many of you over the last few hours,” he wrote on Thursday. “I’m doing just fine. Thanks for reaching out.”
Longtime “Today” show meteorologist Al Roker also took to social media to thank everyone reaching out to check on Melvin.
“We are both okay,” Roker posted on Instagram. “It’s moments like these that serve to pull us together. You all, like Craig, said ‘You come after one of us, you come after all of us.'”
Melvin and Roker are among a relatively small group of prominent Black journalists and anchors with regular, highly visible roles on national broadcast network news programs.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source spectrumlocalnews.com ’
