Al Roker responded to the alleged incident where an intruder directed a racial slur at his Today co-host, Craig Melvin, at Rockefeller Center on July 16. He informed viewers that they both were okay and thanked the fans for their support.
Al Roker comments after an intruder entered the Today studio asking for him
Law enforcement sources told TMZ that the intruder entered NBC’s New York City headquarters after getting past security and asked to see meteorologist Al Roker, but could not find him. The intruder allegedly targeted Melvin near the dressing room, where he lunged at the journalist and shouted a racial slur. Security staff stopped and detained the man, and authorities later arrested him. The incident took place around 9 a.m. ET and was not captured on the broadcast. No injuries were reported.
Melvin and Roker, who were co-hosting with Savannah Guthrie and Dylan Dreyer when the incident occurred, reportedly went on air without mentioning it. The Today show later provided an update, sharing additional information about the incident. The statement, as per Us Weekly, read, “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.”
It further stated, “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.”
Melvin also addressed the incident on Instagram, assuring fans that he was “doing just fine” and thanked them for reaching out. He added that he was looking forward to seeing viewers the following morning on Today.
The incident happened the same day Savannah Guthrie, revealed she was taking a temporary break from her co-anchor role, reports People. Before this, Savannah took a nearly two-month absence from the Today show following the disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, and returned to the show on April 6, as per PBS. Nancy was last seen on the night of January 31 after arriving home from dining with family in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona. No suspect has been identified yet.
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Originally reported by Meenakshi Sengupta for Mandatory
