Orange County authorities on Wednesday identified a knife-wielding man who was shot and killed by Irvine police as 20-year-old Daniel Alfons Meltvedt of Irvine.
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The shooting occurred Tuesday, more than an hour after Meltvedt called 911 and told dispatchers he was armed with a knife, wanted to harm himself and was prepared to possibly harm others, according to a statement released by the Irvine Police Department. Meltvedt had emerged from bushes in the area of Silkwood and Sungate in the Turtle Rock neighborhood and allegedly ran toward officers with the knife before at least one officer opened fire.
Orange County firefighters and an Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement Team, which specializes in providing medical and mental health resources, were also at the scene on standby when the shooting occurred, police said.
A Crisis Negotiation Team had attempted to encourage a peaceful surrender for more than an hour before the shooting, police said.
On Wednesday, Officer Ziggy Azarcon, an Irvine police spokesman, said the Crisis Negotiation Team took the lead over the mental health team because Meltvedt was armed.
The Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement Team is part of the police department, but team members are not sworn officers and are not armed, Azarcon said. They routinely handle non-violent mental health calls and provide services and resources for those experiencing a mental health crisis.
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Police said officers had previously responded to several mental health-related incidents involving Meltvedt. He was connected with mental health resources after those encounters and had been receiving follow-up services from the Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement Team, or I-CARE, since 2025.
“The guy was still armed with a knife,” Azarcon said Wednesday. “We can’t get unarmed civilians involved until the scene is safe.”
Irvine police provided a photo of what appeared to be a kitchen knife, though the approximate length was not known as of Wednesday afternoon.
Meltvedt’s father, Erich Meltvedt, said Tuesday that his son posed no real threat to the officers on scene. Erich Meltvedt watched the lengthy encounter as officers surrounded his son and ultimately shot him as he emerged from bushes with the knife.
The investigation remains ongoing. Irvine police said they expect to release a critical incident debrief video in the coming weeks that will include the 911 call and body-worn camera footage from the shooting.
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