Reversing the Continuum of Force

The continuum of force generally dictates that one should start with the least amount of force necessary and move up the scale from there. I guess nobody told this police officer:

According to police documents, now-former Officer Jody Putnam was inside a Dollar General Store when employees noticed the squirrel. Putnam apparently shot his firearm at the squirrel inside the store. When that didn’t work, he used another weapon; pepper spray.

I would think pepper spray would have come before a firearm. Then again, if I was trying to run a squirrel out of a building I probably wouldn’t use either. Open the door and chase the little bastard with a broom. Eventually it will make a quick exit.