Today show suspect charged with hate crimes after Craig Melvin incident
Andrew Truelove was arrested after allegedly entering NBC’s Rockefeller Center offices and targeting Today co-anchor Craig Melvin, TMZ reports.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
A man accused of entering NBC’s Rockefeller Center offices and confronting Today co-anchor Craig Melvin is now facing hate crime charges, according to TMZ.
Law enforcement officials told TMZ that Andrew Truelove was arrested Thursday at 10:39 a.m. and booked on charges of hate crime burglary, hate crime menacing, hate crime criminal trespass and harassment. NBC News first identified Truelove as the suspect, according to TMZ.
The charges stem from a Thursday morning incident at NBC’s New York headquarters, where TMZ reports Truelove allegedly got beyond security while trying to find Al Roker, then moved toward Melvin.
TMZ previously reported that the man allegedly lunged at Melvin and used the N-word. The allegations have not been proven in court, and TMZ’s report did not include a comment from Truelove.
NBC says no one was hurt
NBC said the man entered an area he was not authorized to access in a vestibule near Studio 1A, according to TMZ. The network said he approached Melvin, who then alerted security.
According to NBC’s statement as reported by TMZ, the man was detained and taken into custody without further incident. NBC also said no one was injured.
The network said Today is cooperating with law enforcement and reviewing what happened, including its security procedures. NBC said it takes the safety of employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously, according to TMZ.
Melvin addressed the incident on social media after the confrontation, saying he was doing fine and thanking people who had reached out. He also said he expected to be back on Today the next morning.
Prior cases reported in New York
TMZ also reported that Truelove, 41, lives in Manhattan and has a criminal history in New York. According to TMZ, that history includes multiple prior cases involving allegations of trespassing, menacing and other offenses, as well as a felony conviction.
The newly reported charges put the Rockefeller Center incident in a more serious category because several of the counts are being treated as hate crimes, according to law enforcement officials cited by TMZ.
Today broadcasts from Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center, a highly visible location that regularly draws crowds outside its street-level windows. NBC’s account, as reported by TMZ, places the incident in a vestibule near the studio rather than on the broadcast set.
Truelove is expected to answer the charges tied to the incident. No further court schedule or plea information was reported by TMZ.
This story draws on original reporting from TMZ.