AI Misidentifies Doritos Bag as Gun, Triggers Police Response

An incident at Kenwood High School in Baltimore County escalated dramatically when an AI-powered gun detection system misidentified a bag of Doritos as a firearm. On March 15, 2024, 16-year-old Taki Allen was sitting outside the school after football practice, enjoying his snack, when police officers arrived in force.

According to local news station WBAL-TV, Allen was confronted by multiple police vehicles, with officers demanding he get on the ground. “It was like eight cop cars that came pulling up for us,” he recounted. Confusion turned to fear as officers ordered him to kneel and handcuffed him while they conducted a search. “I was just holding a Doritos bag — it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun,” he explained.

The incident raises significant concerns about the reliability of current gun detection technologies being implemented in schools across the United States. While the intention is to enhance safety, the misidentification of harmless items can lead to unnecessary panic and stress for students. This case highlights the potential flaws in AI systems tasked with monitoring student safety.

The Baltimore County Public Schools had introduced Omnilert‘s gun detection technology in the previous year. This system connects to school surveillance cameras and analyzes footage to identify potential threats in real time. According to the Baltimore Banner, Omnilert’s technology processes images from approximately 7,000 cameras, searching for suspicious activities.

Blake Mitchell, a spokesperson for Omnilert, acknowledged the error, stating, “Because the image closely resembled a gun being held, it was verified and forwarded to the Baltimore County Public Schools safety team within seconds for their assessment and decision-making.” Even after the situation was clarified, he admitted, “Even as we look at it now, with full awareness that it’s not a gun, it still looks like to most people like one.”

In the aftermath, Omnilert referred to the incident as a “false positive” while maintaining that the system “functioned as intended: to prioritize safety and awareness through rapid human verification.” Nevertheless, Allen has expressed his distress over the event, noting that he has not received an apology from the school. “They just told me it was protocol,” he remarked, emphasizing his expectation for a more compassionate response.

The incident has drawn criticism from Allen’s family, particularly from his grandfather, Lamont Davis. He stated, “There was no threat for eight guns to be pointed at a 16-year-old.” This reaction underscores the broader implications of deploying AI technologies in sensitive environments like schools, where the safety of students is paramount.

The current reliance on AI systems for gun detection also raises privacy concerns. Critics argue that the use of surveillance and monitoring technologies can lead to potential discrimination, particularly against minority students. Given the history of biases in technology, there are fears that systems like Omnilert may disproportionately affect students of color, such as Allen.

As discussions about school safety continue, many advocate for alternatives to AI surveillance. Critics argue that focusing on community-based solutions and effective gun control measures may be more beneficial than relying on flawed technological systems. With ongoing debates about safety in educational settings, incidents like this one highlight the complexities and challenges of integrating technology into daily school life.

Taki Allen’s experience is a stark reminder of the potential consequences of technology missteps. “I don’t feel like going out there anymore,” he said, expressing how the incident has impacted his sense of security. The call for oversight and accountability in the deployment of AI in schools is growing stronger, as communities seek to ensure that student safety remains the top priority without compromising their well-being.