UPDATE – Irvine, Calif. (July 22, 2026) – The 20-year-old man who was armed with a knife has been identified as Daniel Alfons Meltvedt, 20, of Irvine.
On the afternoon of July 21, 2026, Meltvedt contacted Irvine Police Department (IPD) and stated that he was armed with a knife, wanted to harm himself, and ready to possibly harm others. He then exited his residence carrying a knife and walked onto Sungate.
Members of the Irvine Police Department’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) responded and engaged Meltvedt in an on-scene negotiation that lasted more than one hour. Throughout the encounter, officers repeatedly encouraged Meltvedt to drop the knife and surrender peacefully so that he could receive care.
As depicted in the attached still images, Meltvedt ultimately charged toward an officer while holding the knife in a raised position. An officer-involved shooting then occurred.
IPD had previously responded to several mental health-related incidents involving Meltvedt. Following each incident, he was connected with mental health resources and, since 2025, had received follow-up services from the Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement (I-CARE) Team, which consists of unarmed professional crisis intervention specialists.
The investigation remains ongoing. A Critical Incident Debrief video, which will include 9-1-1 recordings and body-worn camera footage, is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
Irvine, Calif. (July 21, 2026) – Around 11:45 a.m., the Irvine Police Department (IPD) received a call from a man on Evening Breeze who was experiencing a mental health crisis and said he was armed with a knife, outside of his home.
Officers from our Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) arrived and found the man in the area of Sungate and Silkwood, holding a knife. CNT negotiated with the man for over an hour, encouraging a peaceful surrender.
During the negotiation, our partners from the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) stood nearby with the Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement Team (I-CARE), ready to provide medical and mental health resources.
After over an hour of negotiating, the man charged at officers while holding the knife, and an officer-involved shooting occurred. The man was struck by gunfire, and officers immediately rendered life-saving measures.
The man was transported to a hospital, where he died. The man was a 20-year-old resident of Irvine. His name is being withheld pending notification of the family.
IPD Detectives are working closely with the Orange County District Attorney’s office to investigate this incident.
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