Key Points
The New York Police Department has charged the individual who allegedly broke into the Today show studio and confronted cohost Craig Melvin.
Andrew Truelove has been charged with multiple hate crimes and harassment.
The 41-year-old allegedly snuck into the studio and hurled racial slurs at Melvin prior to his arrest.
The individual who allegedly broke into the Today show’s studio in New York City and confronted Craig Melvin on Thursday has been charged with multiple hate crimes.
Andrew Truelove, 41, was arrested and charged with hate crime — burglary; hate crime — menacing; hate crime — criminal trespass; and harassment, the New York Police Department confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. Truelove has not been arraigned.
Authorities told EW’s sister site PEOPLE Thursday than an individual entered the NBC studio, confronted coanchor Craig Melvin, and allegedly yelled racial slurs at him before his arrest. A law enforcement source also told the outlet that the man had asked for Al Roker after sneaking past security and into the studio.
Craig Melvin
Credit: NDZ/Star Max/GC Images
Truelove has a criminal history, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE. He previously pleaded guilty to felony criminal mischief related to a June 2026 case that involved multiple vehicles being damaged and was subsequently sentenced to six months in jail, five years of probation, and ordered to pay $375 in fees. It is unclear how much time Truelove had served prior to the alleged incident on Thursday.
The 41-year-old is also reportedly facing three additional pending criminal cases in New York, where he is charged with misdemeanor assault, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass on railroad property and trespassing. He has pleaded not guilty to the crimes, per PEOPLE.
Melvin addressed the incident on air Friday on Today.
“I want to take a quick moment to address an incident that happened yesterday. You may have heard that 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 cooperating fully with NYPD as they investigate the matter, and we are just very happy that everyone is safe.”
He first spoke out about the incident in an Instagram statement on Thursday. “Hey everyone. I’ve heard from so many of you over the last few hours. I’m doing just fine,” he wrote. “Thanks for reaching out. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning on @todayshow.”
The 47-year-old cohost also shared a statement from Today. “There was a security incident this morning at the Today show studio. An individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A,” it read. “The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident.”
Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.
It continued, “There was no altercation, and no one was injured. Today is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the matter.”
The statement also emphasized that “NBC and Today take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously,” adding, “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.”
Melvin will temporarily step away from Today starting on Monday, but the time off isn’t related to the incident. On Wednesday, Roker announced that Taylor Twellman will fill in for Melvin for the week while he goes on vacation.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
