Police Thought This Man’s Gun Tattoo Was Real So They Surrounded His House

Maine State Police armed with assault rifles moved in on a man’s house because he was reported to have a gun on him. Turns out he did, but it was a gun…tattoo. You know, just a tattoo of a life-size handgun made to look like a weapon tucked into the waistband of someone’s pants.

The Morning Sentinel reports that a man in Norridgewock, Maine, named Michael Smith was woken up by a tree removal crew trimming branches Tuesday morning.

Shirtless, he went outside and asked the workers to stop. He went back to sleep, but the workers thought he had a gun and called the police.

Troopers surrounded the premises, but once the officers realized the gun was just some ink, they did not file charges.

Lesson learned: always keep your shirt on.