Two boys aged 12 and 13 were surrounded by armed police after they were seen with toy Nerf weapons in a park.
The Sussex police arrived in Brighton on Greenleas Recreation Ground on Saturday to scream against the young people to get to the ground and put down their 'weapons'.
Allegedly the law enforcement officers realized that the weapons were toys when they shot the foam balls for themselves.
One of their mothers has claimed that the run has traumatized her son with the police.
Speaking with BBC Radio Sussex, Annette – who did not give her last name – Said: 'My son is very shaken. He doesn't want to play in the park anymore. I was so scared. It was incredible. I can only imagine how the boys felt at that moment. '
She added that her 13-year-old son now has trouble sleeping and believes that he might need counseling.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the friends in the park then played 10 officers and at least five police cars surrounded the child after reports of a 'suspicious firearm'.
The police then hurried to the boys who screamed against them to go down.
Two boys aged 12 and 13 were surrounded by armed police after being spotted with toy grain guns in a park (stock image)
The Sussex police arrived in Brighton on Greenleas Recreation Ground on Saturday to scream against the young people to get to the ground and put down their 'weapons' (stock image)
According to Annette, the boys threw the toys on the floor and shouted back 'Oh, it's just a fake gun, it's just a grain gun'.
Shockingly, the mother only discovered about the incident when she came home from work to find a police officer who spoke with her partner.
Annette added: 'I think it was blown out of proportion a little bit. It actually looked like an American action film. '
A spokesperson for the Sussex police said: 'The police received a report from young people with a suspected firearm in Hangleton Way at about 5.30 pm on Saturday, January 25.
'Officers including armed officers were present, where it was established that these were children who played with a toy gun. Words of advice were given to the two boys and a parent, and the reaction of the police was reduced shortly thereafter. '
The power reminded the audience that items had to be two -color in color to 'clearly define an illegal firearm'.
