Andrew Truelove charged after Today show studio breach
Andrew Truelove, 41, was arraigned Friday on hate crime charges after allegedly slipping past security at New York’s 30 Rockefeller Center on Thursday and confronting “Today” co-host Craig Melvin with a racial slur near Studio 1A. Melvin alerted security; Truelove was arrested. No one was injured.
Key Takeaways
- Andrew Truelove allegedly followed an employee into a restricted area at 30 Rock just before 9 a.m. Thursday.
- He approached Craig Melvin near Studio 1A, asked for Al Roker, and used a racial slur; the exchange lasted about 10 seconds.
- Truelove faces burglary and menacing charges, both charged as hate crimes; bail was set at $10,000.
- NBC said there was no altercation and no injuries; Melvin told viewers Friday that everyone is safe.
What did Andrew Truelove allegedly do at 30 Rock?
According to a CNN report on the criminal complaint, Truelove entered the lobby of 30 Rockefeller Center just before 9 a.m. Thursday and slipped behind an employee who swiped an ID card into a restricted area.
Investigators said he was at the bottom of a stairwell when he spotted Melvin and called out, asking for “Today” weather and feature anchor Al Roker. He then stepped toward Melvin and shouted a racial slur. Both Melvin and Roker are Black. The encounter lasted roughly 10 seconds.
Melvin followed Truelove out of the stairwell near Studio 1A and alerted security. Staff detained him before an NYPD detail stationed outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza placed him under arrest. NBC said the man entered an unauthorized vestibule area near Studio 1A, approached Melvin, and was taken into custody without further incident.
What charges does Andrew Truelove face?
Andrew Truelove was charged with burglary in the third degree as a hate crime and menacing in the third degree as a hate crime, according to CNN and NBC News. The Associated Press also reported related counts of criminal trespass as hate crimes and harassment.
He appeared in court Friday and did not enter a plea. A Manhattan District Attorney spokesman said he was ordered held on $10,000 bail or a $10,000 partially secured bond. A full temporary order of protection was also issued. Truelove is due back in court on July 22.
The complaint alleges that after his arrest Melvin asked, “That’s what you wanted to get arrested for,” and Truelove replied that he “always wanted to call a Black famous person the N-word.”
How did Craig Melvin and NBC respond?
Melvin briefly addressed the incident on Friday’s “Today” show, saying he was “safe and sound” and that an intruder reached an unauthorized area near Studio 1A. “Thankfully, he was apprehended quickly. He was placed under arrest,” he said, adding that the show is cooperating with the NYPD and that “everyone is safe.”
On Instagram, Melvin wrote that he was “doing just fine.” Al Roker posted that both men were okay, writing that if someone comes after one of them, they come after all of them.
NBC said it is reviewing security protocols and takes safety for employees, talent, staff, and guests seriously. For more breaking alerts across markets and media, see BlasterPost’s Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage.
Security around the “Today” show had already been stepped up in February while hosts covered the abduction of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, CNN reported, citing people at the network. Employees told CNN they were shocked by the breach given badge checks at 30 Rock, where a World Cup Fan Zone event is also underway.