In a scary moment Thursday morning, a man bypassed security at the “Today” show at 30 Rockefeller Center and was arrested after lunging at Craig Melvin and shouting the N-word at the co-anchor.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. ET and was not captured on Today. TMZ first reported the news. Citing law enforcement sources, the publication reported that the attacker was trying to find longtime meteorologist and Today show host Al Roker. When he was unable to find Rocker, the man confronted Melvin, attacking him and shouting the N-word. The man was arrested and no one was injured.
Melvin briefly spoke about the incident to viewers on Friday morning’s “Today” show. “You may have heard that, unfortunately, an intruder has entered an unauthorized area here in Studio 1A,” he said. “Thankfully, he was quickly apprehended. He was placed under arrest. We’re fully cooperating with the NYPD in the investigation of this matter. And we’re just very relieved that everyone is safe.”
In a statement Thursday, NBC News confirmed a “security incident this morning” at the “Today” show studio and said it was “fully cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation of this matter.”
“A person entered an unauthorized area in the lobby near Studio 1A. The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security,” NBC News said in a statement. “The individual was apprehended and taken into law enforcement custody without further incident. There were no altercations and no one was injured.”
The statement continued: NBC and Today take the safety of our staff, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously. “We are reviewing the incident and our safety protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone working and visiting our studios.”
On Thursday afternoon, Melvin wrote in a message on X: “I’ve heard from many of you over the past few hours. I’m doing well. Thanks for reaching out to us. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning on the @TODAYshow.” He also included a statement from NBC News.
Sources said that after the suspect entered the lobby of Studio 1A, he walked through the golden doors on the first floor. There, he got into a brief verbal altercation on the stairs of the building with Melvin, who followed the man back to the lobby, where the man was temporarily detained by 30 Rockefeller security. An NYPD officer then entered the lobby and handcuffed the subject.
This was reported by a spokesman for the New York Police Department. Diversity that on Thursday, July 16, at approximately 8:57 a.m., “a uniformed officer assigned to 30 Rockefeller Center was alerted to a disturbance in the building. Immediately thereafter, the responding officer entered the building and placed the individual into custody without incident. No injuries were reported and the investigation is ongoing and ongoing. Charges have not yet been filed.”
Melvin was named co-host of the Today show in 2018, and in January 2025, replaced Hoda Kotb as co-host of Savannah Guthrie for the first two hours of the show. He also co-hosts the third hour of “Today” and hosts the syndicated “Dateline NBC” series. Melvin worked with NBC for many years. In 2008, Melvin joined WRC, an NBC radio station in Washington, D.C., where he began anchoring weekend newscasts. He joined MSNBC in 2011.
Guthrie also announced Thursday on the “Today” show that she will be stepping away from the show for a few weeks to film the new game show she hosts, Wordle. “I’m going to be filming Wardle in the next few weeks,” Guthrie told viewers. “We’re going to film the whole season and we’re really excited. We can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
In May, it was announced that NBC had greenlit the Guthrie-hosted show Wordle, which is slated to premiere in 2027. It is produced by Jimmy Fallon and the New York Times, which owns and operates the game after acquiring it in 2022.