Man arraigned on hate-crime charges after breaching TODAY studio
A 41-year-old man was arraigned on burglary and menacing charges classified as hate crimes after entering a restricted area at NBC’s TODAY show studio and shouting a racial slur at co-anchor Craig Melvin.
Andrew Truelove, 41, was arraigned on Friday on a count of third-degree burglary as a hate crime and a count of third-degree menacing as a hate crime, according to a complaint filed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. A judge set his bail at $10,000.
NBC News said the suspect entered an unauthorized vestibule near Studio 1A, the street-level broadcast headquarters of the TODAY show, and approached co-anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. Law enforcement detained the individual without further incident and no injuries were reported.
"We are just very happy that everyone is safe," Melvin said on Friday’s broadcast.
NBC and the TODAY program said they are cooperating fully with authorities and are reviewing security protocols to ensure a safe environment for employees, talent, staff and visitors.