Student handcuffed after AI system flags chip bag as gun threat

A Baltimore County high school student was handcuffed and searched by armed police after an AI gun detection system mistakenly flagged his empty bag of chips as a firearm. The incident at Kenwood High School has prompted county officials to call for a review of how schools use AI security systems and the protocols that follow false alarms.

What happened: Taki Allen was waiting for a ride after football practice Monday evening when police arrived with weapons drawn, forced him to his knees, and searched him before discovering only a bag of chips.
• “They made me get on my knees, put my hands behind my back, and cuffed me,” Allen told CNN affiliate WBAL, describing how about eight police cars responded to the scene.
• The school’s security department had already reviewed and canceled the gun detection alert after confirming there was no weapon, but Principal Kate Smith hadn’t realized the alert was canceled when she called police.

The AI system involved: Baltimore County public schools have used Omnilert’s AI gun detection system since 2023, which analyzes video from existing security cameras to identify potential threats.
• The company said the system “functioned as intended: to prioritize safety and awareness through rapid human verification,” though it expressed regret over the incident.
• Omnilert emphasized that its system is designed to identify possible threats and elevate them to human review rather than automatically trigger police responses.

In plain English: AI gun detection works like a security guard watching multiple video screens at once, but instead of human eyes, computer software scans the footage looking for shapes that might be weapons. When it spots something suspicious—like Allen’s chip bag—it alerts human security staff to take a closer look before any action is taken.

Why this matters: The heavy-handed police response to a false AI alert highlights the risks of automated security systems in schools and raises questions about appropriate protocols for handling false positives.
• “No child in our school system should be accosted by police for eating a bag of Doritos,” Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka said in a statement calling for procedural reviews.

What they’re saying: School and community leaders are demanding accountability and system improvements.
• “The first thing I was wondering was, was I about to die? Because they had a gun pointed at me,” Allen told WBAL about the traumatic experience.
• Allen’s grandfather Lamont Davis told WBAL: “Something has got to be done. Changes have to be made and people have to be held accountable.”
• Superintendent Myriam Rogers called the incident “truly unfortunate” and said reviewing security practices “is part of our regular practice.”

What’s next: Baltimore County officials are conducting a review of the AI weapon detection system and the procedures that led to Monday’s police response to prevent similar incidents from occurring.