Cleveland police car 4

Cleveland police arrested a 15-year-old boy Friday night after they said he pulled a pellet gun from his waistband as officers held him at gunpoint.

(File Photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An armed and bandana-clad teenager held at gunpoint by Cleveland police Friday reached into his waistband and pulled out what officers thought was a revolver.

The officers kept their guns on the 15-year-old boy and continued ordering him to the ground until he complied and was arrested unharmed, according to a police report first made public Wednesday.

The arrest is the latest example of officers encountering toy guns that look like real guns.

Here's what police said happened:

An off-duty Cleveland police officer stopped at a red light at West 56th Street and Denison Avenue saw three boys walking near a car wash about 11:50 p.m. Friday. One of the boys wore a red bandana over his face. He pulled out a gun and started walking towards the officer's truck.

The officer backed up and drove away, then called police. Officers found the boy, still wearing the bandana over his face, and two other boys walking on West 50th Street near Denison Avenue.

They drew their guns and ordered them to the ground. After the boy in the bandana got on the ground, officers took all three into custody.

The gun turned out to be a Crossman .177 caliber pellet gun that police said was "very real looking for both a trained or untrained eye." The two other boys, whose ages were not given, told officers the 15-year-old boy was "looking to rob people," and the 15-year-old admitted to pointing the gun at a man he thought he knew.

The 15-year-old was arrested, and the two other boys were cited for curfew violation and taken home.

The incident comes amid a call to make toy guns more distinct from real weapons. Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, introduced legislation in January that would mandate bright paint and other markings on B.B. guns and other fake firearms.

The renewed call came months after the Nov. 22 shooting where Cleveland police shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice after officers said he reached for an airsoft pellet gun in his waistband outside the Cudell Recreation Center.