Machete-wielding Irvine man holds family hostage in hours-long standoff with police

An Irvine man was arrested Wednesday night after holding his family hostage in their tony condo with a machete and engaging in a four-hour standoff with officers, police said.

The man, who has not been identified, remains in police custody and is charged with crimes including child endangerment and making terroristic threats, said Irvine Police Department Spokesman Kyle Oldoerp.

Police response to the dramatic episode began after 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon when another family member called 911 to tell police that the man had taken his family members hostage in their home using a machete.

The family members taken hostage are believed to be three of the man’s children and their mother, police said.

Police who arrived at the scene found a man with a machete barricaded inside the first floor of a multistory residence tucked away on Terrapin in the wealthy Orange County enclave.

The man’s three children and their mother were trapped inside a third-story bedroom and unable to leave, police said.

With assistance from the Orange County Fire Authority, police used tall ladders to reach the upper level of the home and safely evacuate all four hostages through a window by 4:30 p.m. No injuries were reported either among officers or the victims.

Then, police began calling for the man to give up his machete and exit the house.

With the street closed and dozens of officers responding, cops began blasting loud sounds at the house with loudspeakers in an attempt to drive the suspect out.

With the road closed to traffic and SWAT vehicles parked outside, officers with a high-decibel public address system to call for the suspect inside the home, saying, “Officers are making every effort possible to resolve this matter peacefully and safely,” Oldoerp said.

When that didn’t work, police sprayed a chemical irritant gas into the home. Neighbors were told to stay indoors and close their windows and doors for their safety.

“We did everything we could to peacefully bring this situation to an ending,” Oldoerp said. “It obviously took a few hours before he finally surrendered to our officers. But ultimately that was our goal, to resolve this in a peaceful and safe way.”

Finally, at about 8:30 p.m., Oldoerp said, cops were able to bring the man out of the house without incident.

Oldoerp said police were still unaware of the man’s motive, but mental health issues may have played a role.