Irvine, CA – The family of Daniel Meltvedt is questioning the circumstances surrounding his fatal shooting by Irvine police officers last Tuesday morning, according to reporting by voiceofoc.org. Meltvedt had called 9-1-1 for help, expressing concerns about harming himself or others.
After an hour of negotiations, Irvine police shot and killed Meltvedt, with the city claiming he “charged at officers while holding a knife.” However, Meltvedt’s family says this account does not align with the man they knew, describing him as a selfless, Christian, autistic individual who loved his community, taekwondo, and the gym.
“The Irvine Police are just skewing it to be like he was this grown man terrorist, and they don’t really know who he was,” said Faith Meltvedt, Daniel’s older sister, in a Thursday interview. She added, “He just wanted someone to talk to.”
Family members noted police had been called before for Daniel’s mental health episodes, which they said typically calmed after talking. Daniel’s father was on scene but could not speak with his son. His cousin, Zac Meltvedt, said Daniel would “always come to his senses if you could just talk to him calmly.”
The Irvine Police Department’s Crisis Negotiation team engaged with Meltvedt. A July 21 Facebook post from the department stated that Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) and Irvine Community Alternative Response and Engagement Team (I-CARE) partners were nearby to offer medical and mental health resources. Officers had “repeatedly encouraged Meltvedt to drop the knife and surrender peacefully,” the department stated. IPD confirmed previous responses to mental health incidents involving Meltvedt, who had received I-CARE follow-up services since 2025.
Police spokesperson Ziggy Azarcon confirmed a review of the incident would be released in the coming weeks, declining further comment to Voice of OC.
Irvine city officials have commented. Mayor Larry Agran and Councilwoman Melinda Liu called it a "tragedy"; the police chief was expected to speak at an upcoming city council meeting. Councilwoman Betty Martinez-Franco called the loss of life "devastating," suggesting "always room for improvement" in training, while affirming the department’s professionalism.
Both Zac and Faith Meltvedt expressed a desire for Daniel to have received more de-escalation support. “This was his way to ask for help and I just think he didn’t receive that,” Zac said, noting, “They know Daniel, it’s just kind of mind boggling. They’ve been here before.” Faith added Daniel “never has ever inflicted self harm” and “didn’t deserve this at all.”
This incident occurs amid broader discussions in Orange County regarding law enforcement’s handling of mental health crises. A 2021 case involved Anaheim police officers shooting and killing Santa Ana Councilman Jonathan Hernandez’s cousin, Brandon Lopez, during a mental health crisis. Hernandez stated then that individuals in crisis are “not safe in the hands of the police.” The Orange County Sheriff’s Department receives approximately 10,000 mental health-related 9-1-1 calls annually and is expanding a program to dispatch licensed clinicians instead of deputies for certain behavioral health calls without immediate public safety threats.
The family emphasized Daniel’s positive community impact and his trust in law enforcement. Zac Meltvedt said his cousin loved America and law enforcement, adding, “I think he had so much trust in law enforcement and I think they really let him down.”
