The Irvine Police Department has released bodycam footage from July 21, showing the final moments of Daniel Meltvedt, a 20-year-old autistic man who was shot and killed by officers. Meltvedt had called 911, stating he had stopped taking anti-psychotic medication and was experiencing suicidal thoughts.
The footage depicts Meltvedt standing at the entrance of a closed trail in a residential neighborhood, holding a kitchen knife. He repeatedly expressed a desire for officers to shoot and kill him, according to the video.
During an hour-long standoff, negotiators from the Crisis Negotiation Team attempted to de-escalate the situation. Meltvedt told officers he was not afraid to die and that he would rather be shot, stating, "I can’t wait for you to kill me today."
At one point, Meltvedt indicated he might harm the officers, which increased the tension. When officers deployed tasers, Meltvedt perceived them as a threat and intensified his pleas for them to "take the shot."
Meltvedt's father, Erich Meltvedt, was present but kept at a distance to prevent further escalation. He advised officers to "tell him exactly what to do" to calm his son.
Around 1 p.m., after repeated demands from officers to drop the knife, Meltvedt asked, "Are those guns?" before running toward the officers with the knife. Gunshots were then heard, and Meltvedt was pronounced dead at a hospital.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an investigation into the incident, which could take up to a year. The release of the footage follows criticism from Meltvedt's family, with his father telling the Los Angeles Times that police had an "over-aggressive" response and that seven officers should have been able to apprehend his son without lethal force.
Erich Meltvedt also shared that his son had been sent home from work on the day of the incident after a difficult day. He told the Orange County Register that he has not yet been able to watch the released bodycam footage.