IRVINE, CA (September 17, 2009):  Shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Thursday September 17, 2009 Irvine Police responded to the 100 block of East Yale Loop to investigate the report of a missing person.  Information from the reporting party was that her father was missing from their home and had possibly wandered off on foot, disoriented, as he had done on a previous occasion. 

Officers checked the area with the assistance of a police helicopter and located the subject in the bushes on the south side of Irvine Center Drive, east of Yale.  The subject was initially uncooperative with officers and refused to exit the bushes, claiming that he had a gun.  A police crisis negotiator responded and established communication with the subject.  As the negotiator worked to encourage the subject to surrender, the subject fired a handgun one time into the ground.  At that point the SWAT team was summoned while the negotiator continued to encourage the subject to surrender peacefully.  As the SWAT team was deploying, the subject surrendered to officers without further incident.

The subject was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation.  He is a 50 year-old resident of Irvine.  The weapon he had was a .45 caliber handgun, which was recovered by officers.  Criminal violations regarding the handgun are being investigated and charges may be forthcoming. 

Traffic in the area of Irvine Center Drive and Yale was temporarily diverted while the subject's surrender was being negotiated.