Newark police officers were able to thwart a 13-year-old boy’s attempts to be shot by police.

Police officials say that officers were called to a home on the 100 block of Treacy Avenue for reports of a suicidal teen.

Officials say that when the officers arrived, the boy’s family members told them that he had a realistic-looking BB gun in his waist and was intending on pointing it at them in an attempt to commit “suicide by cop.”

Officers from the Emergency Services Unit were called and were able to convince the boy to hand over the BB gun. 

“Suicide by cop is an attempt to provoke a deadly response from police officers,” said Newark Police Director Anthony Ambrose in a statement. “With the collaborative efforts of the juvenile’s family and the police, this situation ended without incident. I commend Captain M. McPhee, Sgt. J. Formisano as well as the officers and the juvenile’s family who worked together to bring this incident to a happy resolve.”

The teen was then taken to University Hospital for evaluation.