Craig Melvin has broken his silence after a harrowing incident on the Today show set left him and his colleagues shaken. The journalist was confronted by an intruder at around 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, after the unarmed man broke into the building and allegedly lunged at Craig.
According to several reports, the man was asking to see Al Roker, yet turned his attention on Craig instead when he could not locate the weatherman. He allegedly lunged and yelled racial slurs at Craig before the anchor called security and had the man escorted out.
He was absent for the first 15 minutes of Today’s Third Hour, then joined Al and their colleague Dylan Dreyer at the desk with no indication that anything was amiss. Craig later broke his silence with a brief Instagram post assuring that he was okay.
“Hey everyone. I’ve heard from so many of you over the last few hours,” he wrote. “I’m doing just fine. Thanks for reaching out. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning on @todayshow.” Craig was flooded with support in the comment section, with fans and friends alike sharing the love and decrying the incident.
The NYPD shared more details in a statement, explaining that around 9:19 a.m., “it was reported to officers that there was a disorderly person inside 30 Rockefeller Center, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct. Officers responded and placed an unidentified individual into custody. There were no injuries reported. The investigation remains ongoing.”
The Today show also shared a statement about the incident, sharing that protecting their staff was their highest priority.
© Instagram“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,” the statement read.
“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.”
© NBC / TODAYCraig will take time away from the show to enjoy his vacation, in a move that was planned before the harrowing incident. The father of two confirmed on Wednesday’s episode of Today that he was taking a well-deserved, and would be replaced by former soccer star Taylor Twellman.
© Instagram“The Monday after the final, Taylor Twellman will be here filling in for you!” Al said during Wednesday’s broadcast. “Yes!” Craig confirmed, before Al quipped: “Who drew the short straw on that one?”
“I don’t know, but we’re excited to have you,” Craig said to Taylor, adding: “Not sure we were supposed to share it just yet, but we are excited to have you…I’m off all next week, I’m off some of the week after.” The 47-year-old will likely go on vacation with his young family, including his wife, Lindsay Czarniak, and their two kids, Delano, 12, and Sybil, nine.
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