Then it wopuld have been "one shot was fired FROM the officer's gun inside the car ...." Even you say that, as opposed to a shot was fired by the officer's gun.
Sure, "from" is better wording than "by", but I'm not sure that it drastically changes the meaning. In either case, we can't assign culpability without more information than we are likely to ever get, and if indeed the round went off during a struggle for control of the weapon, I'm inclined to lay the blame for that particular AD/ND on the deceased in this case.
Or how about "We believe one shot may have been fired inside the car during a possible struggle for control of the weapon"?
You merely
believe a shot was fired? Are you trying to put doubt on the fact that a round went off inside the car? You are obviously trying to manipulate the narrative through sloppy reporting.
Regardless, the real issue is whether or not the shots fired into the deceased were justified at the time they were fired, and no one is arguing about who caused those rounds to be discharged.
Language is telling. The chief has a clue. I'm betting it just not in his favor.
Does vinegar and newspaper leave fewer streaks on your crystal ball, or are you a Windex man?