Let’s assume for a second that the story the officer is telling is the truth. You have to figure that’s the best case scenario for the officer. But if his story is true:

First of all, to think that the toy was a gun is ridiculous. I can see thinking a toy gun is a gun, but a toy car? Jesus.

And, B: If you really think the therapist is in trouble, you’re going to shoot at the guy you think is the bad guy sitting there while the guy you’re trying to “save” is in your line of fire?

Number 3, I read that he shot him with a rifle. You can’t hit a 3-foot by 2-foot target with a rifle from 30 yards away? In 3 tries? You should never miss that target with that gun from that distance. You should be able to hit his left hand or his right thigh or whatever part you want from that distance with that gun.

D: And this is number 1, really: His reading of the whole situation was outrageously bad.

It’s possible that he’s telling the truth. But if he is, he’s an extremely incompetent officer and should not be in that line of work.