Man arrested after alleged lunge at ‘Today’ host Craig Melvin
TMZ reports an intruder followed Craig Melvin from the plaza into a restricted area before being detained by security and arrested.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
2 min read
A man was arrested Thursday morning after allegedly getting into a restricted area at the “Today” show and lunging at host Craig Melvin, according to TMZ.
TMZ, citing law enforcement sources, reported that the man followed Melvin inside from the show’s publicly accessible plaza around 9 a.m. ET. The man had initially asked for Al Roker after getting past security, the outlet reported.
According to TMZ’s law enforcement sources, the man got close enough to confront Melvin in a restricted part of the building. He allegedly lunged at the NBC host while shouting a racial slur.
Staff members and security moved in, TMZ reported. The man was detained and later arrested, though the exact route he used to get so far inside was not clear, according to the outlet.
No one was injured, TMZ reported. The incident did not appear on the live broadcast.
Security questions after plaza breach
The plaza outside “Today” is a regular gathering spot for fans hoping to be seen on the morning show, but TMZ reported the man was able to trail Melvin from that public area into a space where he was not supposed to be.
TMZ reported that the episode has left staff asking how an unauthorized person managed to follow one of the show’s best-known hosts into the building without being stopped earlier.
The report did not identify the arrested man or list the specific charge or charges he may face. TMZ also did not report any public comment from the man.
Melvin, a co-host of “Today,” was not hurt in the incident, according to TMZ. Roker, whom the man allegedly asked for before the confrontation with Melvin, was also not reported injured.
The incident adds a fresh security headache for a show built around close contact with fans outside its studio. According to TMZ, staff and security were able to intervene before anyone was hurt, but questions remain inside the workplace about how the man got access to the restricted area in the first place.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.