I kind of wonder about this. The kid was not pointing this gun at any one. Apparently he was looking at a sign through its scope.
So, the officer, seeing someone aiming a firearm in the general direction of a group of people (it’s what the article says— an important point), should stand there and wait to see if the person shoots and what he shoots at? I-don’t-think-so.
The first sentence of the story says he was pointing it “at people”. I based my comment on that.
Line of sight.
Little hard to tell what or who somebody is scoping unless it’s pointed right at you.
Scoping in a public place is stupid. The kid is lucky the LEO didn’t have a bit more range time.