“You want to take a shot then find out the guy was holding a telescope?”

How could they not know wtf he had?

The gunman had his father’s AR-style rifle... A local law enforcement officer climbed to the roof and found Crooks, who pointed the rifle at the officer. The officer then retreated down the ladder, and the gunman quickly fired toward Trump, the officials said. That’s when U.S. Secret Service gunmen shot him, the officials said.

"I don't know, boss... that cop might just be retreating from a man with a telescope. Let's just wait to see if he fires a few shots at the president first, just to be safe!"