The man who allegedly breached security and shouted a racial slur at “TODAY” co-anchor Craig Melvin was arraigned on hate crime charges Friday.
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The suspect, identified as Andrew Truelove, 41, faces a count of burglary in the third degree as a hate crime and a count of menacing in the third degree as a hate crime, according to a complaint filed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The judge in the case set bail at $10,000.
In a statement Thursday, NBC News confirmed that a man “entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A,” the street-level broadcast headquarters of the “TODAY” show. The person approached Melvin, who alerted security, according to the statement.
“The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident,” the statement added. “There was no altercation, and no one was injured.”
Melvin addressed the incident on Friday’s broadcast, saying in part: “We are just very happy that everyone is safe.”
“TODAY” is cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities as they investigate the incident, NBC News said in its statement.
“NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously,” the statement said. “We are reviewing the incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at and visits our studios.”
