Police rescued four people from an Irvine home Wednesday afternoon after a man armed with a knife allegedly kept them from leaving during what authorities described as a family dispute.
Officers received the initial report shortly after 2 p.m. near Terrapin and Cadence, according to the Irvine Police Department. A heavy police presence surrounded the neighborhood as officers worked to bring the situation under control.
When officers arrived, they found a male suspect armed with a knife on the first floor of the home. Four individuals were inside a third-story bedroom and could not safely exit.
With help from the Orange County Fire Authority, officers positioned ladders to reach the upper level and safely evacuated all four people while the suspect refused to come out. None of the victims were injured.
Authorities negotiated with the man for several hours in an attempt to secure a peaceful surrender.
At approximately 5:40 p.m., officers deployed loud distraction devices and continued communicating with the suspect over a loudspeaker. “Officers are making every effort possible to resolve this matter peacefully and safely,” police said.
Around 6:30 p.m., officers introduced an irritant into the residence and advised nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.
Shortly before 8:30 p.m., officers took the suspect into custody without injury.
“We rapidly responded to the area,” Irvine Police Public Information Officer Kyle Oldoerp said in a social media update. “Over the last few hours, we’ve been working to safely resolve this situation, and I’m happy to report the suspect was just taken into custody.”
Officials temporarily closed several roads in the neighborhood during the standoff. Authorities have not yet announced possible charges, and the investigation is ongoing