IRVINE — A man suspected of wielding a machete engaged in a standoff with police in Irvine after allegedly refusing to allow four family members to leave their home on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

A relative of the man went to the Irvine police station around 2:15 p.m. to report the dispute, which was occurring in the 100 block of Terrapin, spokesman Kyle Oldoerp of the Irvine Police Department said.

Four family members in an upstairs bedroom were not being allowed to leave, but police were able to get them out from the third floor with ladders just after 4 p.m., Oldoerp said.

Police then continued to negotiate with the man to surrender, Oldoerp said.

He was taken into custody around 7:30 p.m. after a “slow and methodical process,” without any injuries to the suspect or any officers, using devices including flash bangs and gas irritants, Oldoerp said. The department’s crisis negotiations team was also involved.

The circumstances are under investigation, but the family members may have been held in the house for days, Oldoerp said.

Register reporter Sierra van der Brug contributed to this report. 

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