Staffers at NBC's "Today" show are on edge following a security breach on Thursday morning when an intruder entered the building and confronted anchor Craig Melvin. The individual, who was reportedly seeking weatherman Al Roker, was arrested after reaching a staircase inside the studio complex at 30 Rockefeller Center.
Sources described the incident as "chilling" and "f--king insane," expressing concern that the intruder could have caused significant harm. The individual, who was carrying a backpack, did not enter the actual filming studio but did access a secured area requiring keycard access. The New York Police Department confirmed that an unidentified individual was taken into custody without any reported injuries. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The scare has intensified anxieties among "Today" show personnel, who were already on edge due to the recent abduction of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, from her Arizona home in February. "They were already on edge because of Savannah [Guthrie]," a source told Page Six, referencing the "chilling" experience of Guthrie's mother.
Security at 30 Rockefeller Center is considered complex due to the building's public nature, which includes a coffee shop within an accessible area. "It’s a difficult place for security because it’s … really public," an insider explained. The presence of celebrity entourages moving through security checkpoints simultaneously can also complicate the process. "I don’t think it’s like they don’t care. It’s just a complicated place to do security. I imagine there will be meetings today though," the source added.
Al Roker and Craig Melvin were on air following the incident. Neither has publicly commented on the breach. Following Nancy Guthrie's abduction earlier this year, "Today" show colleagues had expressed feeling "shaken" and reported trouble sleeping, leading to increased security measures for on-air talent in collaboration with the NYPD.