Man arrested after lunging at Today co-anchor Craig Melvin

journalismJul 16, 202615387

On Thursday morning, July 16, a man slipped past security at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza and entered the Today show studio, confronted co-anchor Craig Melvin, allegedly lunged at him and yelled a racial slur, New York Police Department sources told outlets. The intruder reportedly asked for longtime host Al Roker before following Melvin into a restricted area at about 9 a.m. Eastern. Studio staff and security detained the unidentified man and law enforcement took him into custody; the NYPD said no one was hurt. NBC said the person entered an unauthorized vestibule near Studio 1A, Melvin alerted security, and the individual was detained without further incident. The encounter was not captured during the show’s broadcast and the hosts returned to air shortly afterward. NBC said it is cooperating with police and reviewing security protocols.

Phil Lewis

@phillewis.bsky.social

A man broke into the "Today" show's studio in New York City looking for Al Roker, confronting Craig Melvin and yelling racist slurs

20345d ago

Emily20

What kind of guy gets crazy mad at Al Roker? Of all the people that crazy folks have some irrational vendetta against, a Today Show weatherman doesn't seem like they should make the top 1,000.

Lacy Ward Jr.8

maga virus. Be on the lookout.

Walter IV7

Don’t blame Al Roker. bsky.app/profile/navi...

Nefarious Means5

I keep thinking of the people who keep saying Dems should go to McConnell's hospital room. This is what it looks like when crazy people show up somewhere they don't belong because of some delusion. You get arrested.

No weapon formed against you shall prosper5

“that no one was harmed!” Let me help people out with this…‘yelling racial slurs’ is HARM! Let’s stop this BS. Sticks & stones can break bones, BUT WORDS CAN HURT YOU TOO! I am sick & tired of being sick & tired of racial acceptance by racist people & the press! 🤬

F'Arte Moreno5

Matt Lauer really wants his job back

Quoting this

Michael Ian Black87

That fucker Al Roker knows what he did.

pork, cheese, broccoli rabe22

bro who has beef with al roker

Nolan Hicks15

wtf is wrong with people

kylie rae9

stephen miller is out of control

shanny8.bsky.social5

They should've had an impromptu segment called "NOT today" where Black folks on the set beat dude's ass

Ms. Hunny 🐰5

Did he break in or did he just walk through?

💥🐟🌮🇺🇦🇨🇦🇬🇱4

That very controversial and divisive figure, Al Roker

Jen(na) X3

Was he mad about the weather?

Scott Whitt2

That man has now been named as the new host of the CBS Morning Show

Ravishing Rick Ruud van Nistelrooy2

An extremely normal and functional society

Justin Baragona

@justinbaragona.bsky.social

NBC News' Today Show releases the following statement about the incident that took place at the studio this morning, where an intruder lunged at Craig Melvin and began shouting racist insults. (He apparently was looking for Al Roker, per reports.)

Statement from NBC News' TODAY:

There was a security incident this morning at the TODAY show studio. An individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A. The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident. There was no altercation, and no one was injured. TODAY is cooperating fully with law enforcement as they investigate the matter. NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests extremely seriously. 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.

4445d ago

westvillagecrank.bsky.social3

Trump's America. It can be suppressed, but it will linger.

David Harris2

That parenthetical phrase says so much!!

Raw Story

@rawstory.com

A stranger slipped past security at NBC's "Today" show Thursday morning, according to TMZ. Sources say the man was hunting for weatherman Al Roker, but instead lunged at anchor Craig Melvin while screaming a racial slur.

3245d ago

PortiaMcGonagal

@portiamcgonagal.bsky.social

I know racists are irrational, but who comes for Al Roker?! He doesn't actually control the weather! JFC! "When he couldn't find Roker, he turned on Melvin inside a restricted area, allegedly charging at him and yelling the N-word." www.rawstory.com/today-show/?...

3245d ago

Nefarious Means5

There's racist and there's crazy. It sounds like this guy is both.

Jamie 😑3

I’ve had a soft spot for Roker ever since he was openly furious at Billy Bush for defending shitty male athlete behavior on air

sundene 🇳🇴 📎3

That is weird. Al Roker always struck me as a genial teddy bear (even after he lost weight) of a weather forecaster. What's not to love? I would ask "Why him?" but clearly the reason is racism.

Peeved Professor aka Ann Tifa1

Sweet mother of Mary, I hate it here.

Just Melodie1

That’s scary. When my paper still had a newsroom, we felt like open targets once trump started branding journalists “the enemy of the people.” I don’t know if “heads will roll,” as Harvey Levin said. But they’ll definitely boost security after this. Or, they SHOULD.

Tay'Taye Creates1

racists. this administration has made it clear that it's open season on POC...

Quoting this

Lauowolf2

The fascists are running wild

People Magazine

@people.com

🔗: bit.ly/45bBbYM A man was detained after breaking into the 'Today' show’s studio in New York City on Thursday and confronting co-host Craig Melvin, yelling racial slurs, a source tells PEOPLE. 📷️: John Nacion/FilmMagic

1545d ago

Quoting this

Strictly 4 My Navigators16

This is crazy.... also why was he specifically looking for Al Roker?

shalise manza young8

weird how shit like this keeps happening. you’d think the highest levels of government are filled with white nationalists or something.

I don't even know anymore.3

I'm okay with police brutality in this instance.

I’m 10000000000000% sure we know the demographic of the domestic terrorist .

MB2

Didn’t know trump supporters watched TODAY, but this is scary.

Soraya Nadia McDonald

@sorayanadiamcdonald.com

*At about 9 a.m., a man made his way into the NBC studio at Rockefeller Plaza and confronted co-host Craig Melvin, yelling racial slurs, a source tells PEOPLE."

1545d ago

S Pahwa1

Whoever wrote this season of America has a wild imagination.

Captain Fantastic1

Can’t be maga they’re afraid of NYC

Lauren Ashley Davis

@laurenmeidasa.bsky.social

Today show intruder arrested after ‘lunging’ at Craig Melvin, yelling racial slur The intruder reportedly asked for host Al Roker first www.the-independent.com/arts-enterta...

645d ago

The A.V. Club

@avclub.com

The attacker evaded Today security and lunged at co-anchor Craig Melvin while shouting a racial slur. www.avclub.com/craig-melvin...

945d ago

Quoting this

AmyAlexCA2

Clearly the work of a #MAGA Cultist. #NBC needs to harden its security at 30 Rock.

💙 Monte_Alto 💙 (everywhere)

@montealto.bsky.social

😳 DISGRACEFUL BREAKING NEWS: Al Roker and Craig Melvin were targeted Thursday by a man who snuck into the “Today” show and was ultimately arrested after lunging at the latter and shouting racist slurs. All these racist pricks need to crawl back under their rocks. www.nydailynews.com/2026/07/16/t...

345d ago

OSKYWOSKY

@oskywosky.bsky.social

Racist hunting for Al Roker lunges at Today show host in 'huge' security breach: report www.rawstory.com/today-show/

345d ago

pork, cheese, broccoli rabe

@garlicbuffalo.gobirds.biz

I understand that I shouldn’t attempt to comprehend a racist, but AL ROKER?? and craig melvin??? cmon man

845d ago

Brown Sugar Babe RN MSN

@cas7217.bsky.social

The 47-year-old television personality was followed by the man who breached security and made his way inside the iconic Manhattan landmark before he supposedly lunged toward him and shouted a racial slur. The alleged attack took place around 9 AM EST. If Craig shot him, MAGATS would be up in arms!

445d ago

BlackskyNews 🗞️

@blackskynews.blacksky.app

An intruder slipped past security and into the TODAY show, where he shouted for Al Roker, used the N-word multiple times then swung at Craig Melvin, 47, when confronted. The intruder was ultimately apprehended by an NYPD officer on a paid detail. www.nydailynews.com/2026/07/16/t... #BlackskyNews

645d ago

SiriusXM Urban View

@urbanviewradio.bsky.social

Man breaches security at 30 Rock, approaches ‘Today’ co-host Craig Melvin @karenhunter.bsky.social #KarenRebels #ThriveThursday www.cnn.com/2026/07/16/u...

345d ago

ScruffyR (NO LISTS!)

@scruffyr.bsky.social

What was that they were saying about "left wing terrorism"? J6, pardons for rapists, GHISLAINE, yet a Black anchor nearly stabbed while racially slurred. What a bass ackwards world we're living in. www.mediaite.com/media/tv/ter...

445d ago

3 sources

the-independent.comToday show intruder arrested after ‘lunging’ at Craig Melvin, yelling racial slur tmz.com'TODAY' Show Intruder Arrested, Allegedly Hurled Racial Slur, Lunged at Craig Melvin news.google.com'Today' intruder arrested, allegedly lunged and yelled slur at Craig Melvin - USA Today

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Man arrested after lunging at Today co-anchor Craig Melvin

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