Savannah Guthrie announces return to ‘Today’ show
Savannah Guthrie said she will return to NBC’s “Today” show on April 6 as the search for her missing mother continues.
Craig Melvin and Al Roker were granted a restraining order against an intruder who broke into the “Today” show studio on Thursday, July 16th.
Andrew Truelove, 41, was arraigned in New York Criminal Court on Friday, July 17, and was formally charged with third-degree robbery as a hate crime and third-degree menacing as a hate crime, both felonies, according to records reviewed by USA TODAY. He remains in custody on $10,000 bail.
According to the Manhattan district attorney’s complaint obtained by USA TODAY, Truelove sneaked into the building at 30 Rockefeller Center by following an employee who entered a restricted area with an ID badge. Truelove was said to have been looking for Roker, 71, when she encountered Melvin, 47, in the stairwell.
Truelove then allegedly walked up to Melvin and said a racial slur, to which Melvin asked, “Did you want to get arrested for that?” Truelove allegedly responded by saying, “I’ve always wanted to call a black celebrity.”
At their July 17 arraignment, a judge issued a full temporary protective order for Mr. Roker and Mr. Melvin.
How did the “Today” show cover this incident?
USA TODAY previously reported that New York police received a report of a “disabled person” inside the Today show building around 9 a.m. local time on July 16. Truelove was arrested shortly thereafter.
Later that day, Melvin addressed the incident in an Instagram post, assuring the public that he was “doing fine.” He also shared a statement from a spokesperson for the NBC show, acknowledging a “security incident” in which “an individual entered an unauthorized area of the vestibule near Studio 1A” and was confronted by a co-anchor.
“The individual was taken into custody by law enforcement without incident and was taken into custody. There was no altercation and no one was injured,” the statement said, adding that the program is “fully cooperating with law enforcement as they investigate this matter.”
“NBC and TODAY take the safety and security of our employees, talent, staff and guests very seriously. We are reviewing this incident and our security protocols and remain committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who works at or visits our studios.”
On July 17, Roker posted a photo of himself and Melvin on Instagram with the caption, “Thank you @craigmelvinnbc to everyone who has reached out to check on my brother over the last 24 hours. We’re both okay. Moments like this help bring us together.”
“Like Craig said, ‘You can go after one of us, you can go after all of us.’ We’ll talk about that this morning on @todayshow,” the weathercaster added.
The situation was also brought up on NBC’s morning show on July 17, when Laura Jarrett, filling in for Savannah Guthrie, told Melvin, “We want to make sure you’re safe.” He replied, “Safe and sound.”
Prior to his arrest, Truelove had an extensive criminal history, including multiple ongoing criminal mischief, assault, trespassing and reckless endangerment cases in New York, according to records reviewed by USA TODAY.
Contributor: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
