Man accused of confronting Craig Melvin arraigned on hate crime charges
Andrew Truelove, 41, is accused of entering a restricted area near Studio 1A and directing a racial slur at the TODAY co-anchor.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
A 41-year-old man accused of getting into a restricted area at the “TODAY” show’s Studio 1A and shouting a racial slur at co-anchor Craig Melvin was arraigned Friday on hate crime charges, according to NBC News.
The suspect was identified as Andrew Truelove. A complaint filed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office charges him with third-degree burglary as a hate crime and third-degree menacing as a hate crime, NBC News reported.
A judge set bail at $10,000, according to the report. The charges are allegations, and Truelove has not been convicted.
Incident near Studio 1A
NBC News said in a Thursday statement that a man entered “an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A,” the street-level home of the “TODAY” broadcast.
The person approached Melvin, and Melvin alerted security, according to the network’s statement.
Law enforcement detained the individual and took him into custody without further incident, NBC News said. The network added that there was no altercation and that no one was injured.
Melvin spoke briefly about the incident on Friday’s “TODAY” broadcast, saying, in part, “We are just very happy that everyone is safe,” according to NBC News.
NBC says it is reviewing security
NBC News said “TODAY” is cooperating with law enforcement as authorities investigate what happened.
The network also said NBC and “TODAY” take the safety of employees, on-air talent, staff and guests “extremely seriously.”
According to the statement, NBC is reviewing both the incident and its security procedures while continuing to work to provide a safe environment for people who work at or visit its studios.
NBC News did not report any response from Truelove to the allegations.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.