In a tragic incident in Southern California, a suspect shot and killed a UPS driver in Irvine. Authorities suspect it may have been a premeditated attack.
On Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m., police responded to a call at the intersection of Chrysler and Bendix. At the scene, a man was shot dead while the suspect fled in a silver pickup truck.
Irvine police described to FOX 11 the killing of the UPS driver and the arrest of the suspect: at the time of the shooting, the victim driver was resting in his vehicle during a break when the suspect drove up in the pickup and opened fire. It is believed the suspect was wearing a mask at the time.
By close to 6 p.m., the gunman suspect had locked himself inside the pickup and was surrounded by law enforcement and SWAT teams near Santiago Canyon Road.
Authorities deployed chemical agents and police dogs, eventually leading to the apprehension of the suspect.
Karie Davies of the Irvine Police Department stated, “The SWAT team successfully got him out of the vehicle through negotiations. The suspect did not surrender voluntarily, but was forcefully taken out of the vehicle by the SWAT team. He is still alive.”
Davies added, “We are not clear if there was any connection between the two men. This appears to be a premeditated attack, not a robbery, and doesn’t seem like a robbery.”
Local residents mentioned that the UPS driver was a familiar face in the area and would often have lunch at the same spot.
Kevin Sanchez from Greddy Performance Products, an automotive parts store in the Irvine area, mentioned that the victim had been their UPS driver for several years, and he had seen him earlier that morning.
“Just like any delivery person you see regularly, he (the driver) was a friendly gentleman, never displaying any negative attitudes or behavior,” Sanchez said.
An eyewitness at the scene of the shooting told FOX 11 they heard a series of intense gunshots.
“We thought it was the sound of a power drill, sounded like firing off two magazines consecutively. It was a sequence of hammering sounds. 3 to 4 seconds later, we heard the same sound again.”
UPS released a statement expressing their sorrow, stating, “Tonight, we are deeply saddened by the news of the loss of our driver in Irvine, California. We are cooperating with authorities to understand the details of the incident. As the investigation into the perpetrator continues, further inquiries will be handled by the authorities. The safety and well-being of our employees are our top priorities, and we are providing support and counseling services for employees affected by this tragedy.”
Irvine police urge the public to report any suspicious activity in the area by calling (949) 724-7200.