File this under "things that make you say DUH!"

Don't let your kids bring toy guns in the car. It's a dumb idea. Really.

From the KGW NW website:

What started out as a joke for a group of Beaverton pre-teens turned into a major police operation and the scare of a lifetime Friday afternoon.

Washington County Sheriff's Deputies shut down Tualatin Valley Highway on Friday after someone called 911 to report a group of teens was pointing a shotgun out the window of an SUV at cars around 4:00 p.m.
Sergeant Dave Thompson with the Sheriff's Office said deputies caught up to the car, shut down the highway and ordered everyone inside out.
With guns drawn, the deputies demanded all six people out with their hands up.
Five of those people were under age 13.
An adult mom was also ordered out.
After cuffing everyone, deputies searched the car only to find a toy shotgun.
Turns out the kids had been playing around with the realistic looking toy. To the person driving behind them though, that toy looked like the real deal.
After it was all over, the group of was let off with a warning.
The mother in the car told KGW she saw the boys playing with the gun and made them put it away. Apparently, she said, it was a little too late.

No, really?
The news also showed still photos taken at the scene by a guy who just happened to be there and happened to have his camera with him. (Note to self... see? That's why you need to take your camera every time you go out.) Then, in the column on the news website where you can choose the video you'd like to see was this: 5 kids and a mother held at gun point by police
Wow, now that's sensationalism, isn't it?! It's a good thing everyone cooperated with the officers. Someone could have easily been shot by the police.
I'm glad it ended with no one being harmed.