Armed police surround home after workers call cops over 'gun' in shirtless man's waistband... that turns out to be a life-size TATTOO

Michael Smith's gun tattoo was mistaken for real weapon

Utility crew notifies authorities that man had a gun in Norridgewock, Maine



Authorities surrounded man's house with assault rifles

One resident got a rude awakening when police with assault rifles surrounded his home after a tree removal crew mistakenly reported he had a gun.

Michael Smith, of Norridgewock, Maine, was woken up by the authorities when a crew contacted by a utility company to trim branches near some power lines notified the police at 10am on Tuesday.



Smith went outside shirtless to yell at the crew to leave, exposing a life-sized tattoo of a gun he had on his stomach.

Armed police surrounded Maine resident Michael Smith's house Tuesday morning after a life-size gun tattoo on his waistband was mistaken for an actual weapon. Smith was not charged in the misunderstanding

The workers mistook it for an actual weapon, and notified authorities to the home located off Ward Hill Road.



Smith was not charged and said the tattoo has never been a problem before. Smith has multiple tattoos, including several covering his left arm.



'Obviously it was a misunderstanding and he didn't have a weapon, but we had to respond to the initial report as if he did,' Maine State police trooper Scott Duff told the Morning Sentinel.

Smith, who works nights, said it sounded like someone was driving up his driveway and crushing a thick layer of ice on it.

He went outside to tell the crew to leave his property, and they told him no problem. But one worker said he thought he noticed a pistol in Smith's waistband.

Duff said he didn't think Smith went outside with his shirt off deliberately to make it appear he was carrying a gun.



'I got plans today. I didn't want to get shot,' Smith told the Morning Sentinel.

Police surround Michael Smith's home in rural Maine Tuesday morning after a utility crew member working outside the home mistook Smith's gun tattoo on his stomach for a real weapon

Michael Smith with his girlfriend Mindy. Smith was not charged by police after his gun tattoo was mistaken for a real weapon.





Armed police surrounded Maine resident Michael Smith's house Tuesday morning after a life-size gun tattoo on his waistband was mistaken for an actual weapon. Smith was not charged in the misunderstanding