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.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- What Student Photojournalists Saw at the Campus Protests
- How Far Trump Would Go
- Why Maternity Care Is Underpaid
- Saving Seconds Is Better Than Hours
- Welcome to the Golden Age of Ryan Gosling
- Scientists Are Finding Out Just How Toxic Your Stuff Is
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com