Craig Melvin tells viewers he’s ‘safe and sound’ after intruder incident on ‘Today’ show set

Craig Melvin addressed the “Today” show intruder incident on air as NBC fired a security guard and the suspect, Andrew Truelove, faced hate crime charges.

Craig Melvin is speaking out after a frightening security breach on the “Today” show set, reassuring viewers he’s unharmed even as the fallout from the incident continues to widen. During the Friday, July 17 broadcast, the anchor addressed the confrontation head on, telling the audience the intruder “was apprehended quickly” and placed under arrest.

“We are just very happy that everyone is safe,” he said, according to USA Today, adding that the program is cooperating fully with the NYPD. When fill-in co-anchor Laura Jarrett stressed that they wanted to make sure he was okay, Melvin replied simply, “Safe and sound.”

The scare unfolded Thursday morning (July 16), just before 9 a.m., when a man slipped past security at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Center headquarters. According to USA Today, the intruder entered through the lobby and encountered Melvin, 47, on a staircase near Studio 1A, where the two exchanged words for under 10 seconds before security detained him.

Multiple reports indicate that the man had been searching for weather anchor Al Roker, 71, and hurled a racial slur at Melvin during the brief confrontation.

The suspect, identified as Andrew Truelove, 41, now faces a string of serious charges. Page Six reports that he has ben booked on counts including hate crime menacing, hate crime burglary, hate crime criminal trespass and harassment.

USA Today, citing records it reviewed, noted Truelove has an extensive criminal history, with several ongoing New York cases spanning criminal mischief, assault, trespassing and reckless endangerment.

The breach has already cost someone their job. According to Page Six, NBC News fired a security guard over the lapse, with sources describing surveillance footage that showed two guards on duty, one stepping away while the other failed to catch the intruder slipping in. Insiders told the outlet that staff was saddened by the dismissal, noting the guard had been a well-liked figure in the building.

In its statement, “Today” confirmed it was “reviewing the incident and our security protocols,” emphasizing that NBC takes the safety of its employees, talent and guests “extremely seriously.” Melvin, for his part, made clear he wasn’t stepping back, having posted on Instagram shortly after the incident that he was “doing just fine” and looked forward to returning to air.