The Oakland Police Department has identified Mr. Alan Dwayne Blueford (DOB 12/93) as the person shot by police on the morning of May 6th, 2012. Blueford succumbed to fatal wounds after being transported from the scene for medical attention.
The incident occurred after two partnered Oakland Police Department officers, while en route to a call for service shortly after 12 a.m., observed three individuals walking within the 1900 block of 90th Avenue. Officers elected to initiate a detention based on their observations regarding a potentially concealed firearm. One person, later identified as Mr. Blueford, reportedly ran from attempts to safely detain him. An officer pursued him on foot into the 9200 block of Birch Street.
During the chase, and under the stated belief that the suspect posed an immediate, lethal threat, the officer discharged his service firearm at the suspect a total of four times; according to the coroner’s report, three rounds struck Blueford in the front of his body, and investigators believe that a fourth round struck the officer’s own foot. Several independent witnesses at the scene told investigators they saw the man point a firearm at the officer prior to shots being fired. The suspect’s pistol was recovered from the scene, and investigators do not believe it had been fired.
Although investigators can not confirm Blueford was an Oakland resident, he is believed to be an Oakland Unified high school senior. He was active to felony probation for burglary out of San Joaquin County at the time of the incident.
Each instance of lethal force by an Oakland police officer necessarily causes investigation by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and the Department’s Major Crimes Section. An independent and concurrent investigation is also conducted by the Department’s Internal Affairs Division. Every instance is then presented to an Executive Force Review Board to determine whether the force used was in compliance with Departmental policies and procedures.
This investigation is ongoing, and anyone with related information is asked to contact Sergeant S. Fleming, OPD Major Crimes Section, at 510-238-3821.
