Initially Officer Claimed Blueford Shot at Police. Now Police say Gun was never Fired - Officer Shot Himself

[PDF of the federal lawsuit here.] A witness observed what appeared to be a small black gun about twenty feet from Blueford further up the driveway, but claims the teenager made no effort to recover the weapon. The lawsuit claims that as Alan attempted to get up off the concrete, Officer Masso fired four shots, striking the teenager three times, once in the left shoulder, and on both sides of his upper chest.

The fourth shot has been the greatest source of controversy. In his report, Alameda County Coroner's investigator Solomon Unubun wrote that OPD Officer Justin Buna contacted him at 1:29 a.m. on May 6 and "told me the decedent, an unidentified African-American male, had been shot by an OPD Officer, after the decedent brandished a firearm during a foot pursuit and shot at the officer." Initial media reports also noted an exchange of gunfire, stating that Officer Masso had been wounded by the suspect's weapon. However, on May 8, OPD issued a press release stating that Masso had shot himself in the foot with the fourth round and that the pistol recovered at the scene had not been fired.

According to Unubun's report, Officer Buna also informed Unubun that Blueford's body had been moved to Highland Hospital after his death had been pronounced at 12:20 a.m. because "the scene was unsafe," a decision made by OPD Lieutenant James Meeks.