A 20-year-old Irvine man experiencing a mental health crisis died after he was shot by a police officer during a confrontation involving a knife, according to the Irvine Police Department.
Police identified the man as Daniel Alfons Meltvedt of Irvine.
The incident began at approximately 11:45 a.m. on July 21, when Meltvedt contacted police and said he was armed with a knife, wanted to harm himself and might harm others. Police said he then left his home on Evening Breeze carrying the knife and walked toward the Sungate and Silkwood area.
Members of the Irvine Police Department’s Crisis Negotiation Team responded and spoke with Meltvedt for more than an hour. Officers repeatedly asked him to drop the knife and surrender peacefully so he could receive care, according to the department.
Police said Meltvedt eventually raised the knife and charged toward an officer, prompting an officer-involved shooting. Officers immediately provided emergency medical aid before he was transported to a hospital, where he died.
Personnel from the Orange County Fire Authority and the Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement Team, known as I-CARE, were standing by during the negotiations to provide medical and mental health assistance.
According to police, officers had previously responded to several mental health-related incidents involving Meltvedt and connected him with support services. He had also received follow-up assistance from the I-CARE Team since 2025. The program consists of unarmed professional crisis-intervention specialists.
Irvine police detectives and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the shooting. A critical incident debrief video containing 911 recordings and body-worn camera footage is expected to be released in the coming weeks.