An intruder slipped past security at NBC's Rockefeller Center studios on Thursday morning, confronted "Today" co-host Craig Melvin backstage and was quickly detained and arrested, according to law enforcement. The man reportedly came in asking for longtime weatherman Al Roker before turning on Melvin. No one was hurt, and while the encounter rattled staff, the live broadcast rolled on without interruption.
Security breach on set
Law enforcement sources told TMZ the man slipped in from the public plaza at around 9 a.m., ducked into a stairwell and made his way backstage while asking to see Al Roker. When he did not find Roker, the outlet reports, he confronted Craig Melvin in a restricted area and allegedly lunged at him while shouting a racial slur. Staffers and security rushed in and restrained the intruder, who TMZ says was white and unarmed.
NYPD: disorderly person detained
The NYPD said officers were called at about 9:19 a.m. for reports of a "disorderly person" inside 30 Rockefeller Center and that an unidentified individual was taken into custody, according to TheWrap. "There were no injuries reported. The investigation remains ongoing," the department's statement added in TheWrap's account. Police have not publicly announced any formal charges.
Aftermath and broadcast
Video and on-the-ground reporting showed a heavy police presence outside 30 Rock in the aftermath, but inside, both Craig Melvin and Al Roker were back on air in roughly 15 minutes, calmly presenting the program and not mentioning what had just gone down, according to CBS4Local. The incident itself was not seen on the live broadcast, the outlet reported. Behind the scenes, staffers are reportedly pushing for answers about how someone managed to move from the open plaza into areas that are supposed to be locked down.
Context for the crew
The scare hit on the same day co-anchor Savannah Guthrie announced she would briefly step away from the show to film NBC's "Wordle" game show, adding one more change for a newsroom already navigating a rough stretch, TheWrap reports. Guthrie had only returned to "Today" in April after taking leave earlier this year amid the disappearance of her mother.
NBC did not immediately issue a statement to reporters, and investigators say the inquiry remains active, with more details expected as the Midtown North precinct continues its probe, according to reporting by Fox News.
