PALMERSTON, Australia - December 18, 2010 - Police pulled their guns on a 12-year-old boy playing in a yard because they thought he was hiding behind a fence with a rifle.

The "weapon" was a broken meter-long curtain pole with black duct tape.

Student Tom Herbert had to be treated for shock at the hospital as a result of the incident.

His mother, Terry Mahoney, said she was devastated.

"He was just a normal kid playing with a fake rifle," she said.

She said Tom had been playing with the toy weapon outside a house on Woodroffe Avenue, in Woodroffe, Palmerston, when he was cornered by police on December 8.

At least five officers sped to the scene in two paddy wagons and a blue patrol car.

They jumped out of their vehicles, two of them drawing their guns, and urged the boy to drop his weapon. "He was told to sit down on the footpath and then a police officer put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down," Ms. Mahoney said.

"I believe he ended up with handcuffs on one wrist."

Police confirmed yesterday they had responded to a call saying a person was "hiding behind a fence" with a weapon.

They said police guns were drawn but dropped instantly when it was clear there was no threat. Reports of the boy having been handcuffed were not confirmed.

Offers were made to put Tom in contact with relevant health services to deal with any resultant trauma. Ms. Mahoney said she was in shock when officers turned up at her flat with her son shortly after the incident.

"He had me jumping up and down," she said. "I was in shock because I thought he may have been in a fight, but it wasn't that at all."

She said her son was unable to settle down and was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital.

The hospital confirmed the boy had been admitted and released shortly thereafter.

The incident happened only days after the small family was made homeless.

"It just means another trauma that Tom has to deal with," said Ms. Mahoney.