Why Was Craig Melvin Missing From 'Today'? Savannah Guthrie Explains His Absence Just 4 Days After Scary Intruder Incident

Craig Melvin was missing from the Monday, July 20, broadcast of the Today show just days after an intruder in the studio confronted him.

Sheinelle Jones took Melvin's place alongside Savannah Guthrie, who acknowledged that Melvin was away on a "little family vacation."

Melvin stepped away from the camera after the intruder broke into Studio 1A in New York City, looking for beloved weatherman Al Roker.

The intruder, who has since been identified as Andrew Truelove, encountered Melvin instead and allegedly lunged at the anchor and shouted a racial slur.

The Today show released a statement about the incident after the intrusion made headlines.

"There was a security incident this morning at the TODAY show studio. An individual entered an unauthorized area in a vestibule near Studio 1A," it read. "The person approached anchor Craig Melvin, who alerted security. The individual was detained and taken into custody by law enforcement without further incident. There was no altercation, and no one was injured.”

"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 continued. "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."

Both Melvin and Roker have since been granted a restraining order against the alleged intruder, who was arrested and faces multiple charges.

Melvin addressed the incident on July 17, briefly taking a moment out of the broadcast to acknowledge viewers' concerns.

"You may have heard that, unfortunately, an intruder made his way into an unauthorized area here at Studio 1A," he said. "Thankfully, he was apprehended quickly, he was placed under arrest, we are cooperating fully with the NYPD as they investigate the matter and we are just very happy that everyone is safe."

Roker acknowledged the terrifying incident on a social media post, thanking fans who have reached out with messages of support and concern.

"A really heartfelt thank you to all who reached out over the last 24 hours to check in on my brother, Craig Melvin," Roker wrote. "We are both okay. It’s moments like these that serve to pull us together."

"You all, like Craig, said 'You come after one of us, you come after all of us,'" he added. "We’ll talk about it this morning on the Today show."

Us Weekly reported that the security guard involved in the incident was allegedly fired following the security breach.

Truelove has been charged with criminal trespass and harassment but has not yet been arraigned.