Man breaches security at 30 Rock, lunges at ‘Today’ co-host Craig Melvin, official says

(CNN) — A man who managed to slip past tight security at 30 Rockefeller Center and confront “Today” show co-host Craig Melvin, allegedly lunging at him and hurling a racial slur, was taken into custody Thursday morning, according to a law enforcement official.

Officers responded to a report of a disorderly person inside 30 Rockefeller Center at approximately 9:19 a.m., within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct, and placed the unidentified individual into custody, according to the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. No injuries were reported, and the investigation remains ongoing, the NYPD said.

CNN has reached out to NBC for comment.

Investigators believe the man entered through a secured area, where he asked staffers for Al Roker, the law enforcement official said. When he didn’t find the longtime co-host, he turned his attention to Melvin, spotting him a short time later. That’s when the confrontation happened, the official said.

The man is expected to face burglary and other charges, according to the law enforcement official.

Investigators are trying to determine how the man was able to breach the secured area and are combing through surveillance footage. They are also reviewing body-worn camera footage from the arresting officers, the official said.

Several NBC employees who spoke with CNN said they were shocked by the breach, given the level of security in place around 30 Rockefeller Center, where a World Cup Fan Zone event is being held. One person noted that their work badge must be swiped or inspected multiple times to enter the building.

The man is being held at an NYPD precinct in Midtown Manhattan, the official said.

Security was stepped up at NBC’s “Today” show in February as Savannah Guthrie’s co-hosts and colleagues covered the abduction of her mother, Nancy, two people at the network said on condition of anonymity.

The additional security measures were implemented out of an abundance of caution to help alleviate some of the stress the show’s hosts were feeling as they talked on air every morning about the mystery.

Major networks like NBC have security departments that support their hosts — from physical protection to online threat tracking — and liaise with local police.