‘I was just holding Doritos’: US student handcuffed after AI system mistakes bag of chips for gun
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a fixture in school safety measures, its promise of enhanced security is now under scrutiny. An incident at Kenwood High School in Baltimore has sparked debate over the limits of automated surveillance, raising questions about accuracy, human oversight, and the unintended consequences of relying on technology to make split-second safety decisions.Taki Allen, a high school student, became the focus of attention after an AI-powered gun detection system mistakenly identified his bag of Doritos as a firearm. On Monday night, Allen was sitting with friends outside the school eating a snack when law enforcement officers arrived.“At first, I didn’t know where they were going until they started walking towards me with guns, talking about, ‘Get on the ground,’ and I was like, ‘What?’” Allen told WBAL-TV 11 News.The student was reportedly forced to his knees, handcuffed, and searched. Officers found no weapons. It was only after the search that Allen was shown a photograph taken by the AI system, which had triggered the alert. “I was just holding a Doritos bag – it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun,” he said, speaking to WBAL-TV 11 News.
AI surveillance in schools: Promise and pitfalls
Baltimore County high schools introduced the AI-based gun detection system last year. The system, which monitors school cameras for potential threats, automatically sends alerts to both school authorities and law enforcement when it identifies objects it deems suspicious.While the technology is intended to enhance student safety, the incident involving Allen highlights the risk of false positives, particularly in high-pressure situations where rapid response can escalate tensions.A statement from Baltimore County Police, confirmed the sequence of events: “Officers assigned to Precinct 11-Essex responded to Kenwood High School following a report of a suspicious person with a weapon. Once on scene, the person was searched and it was determined the subject was not in possession of any weapons,” WBAL-TV 11 News reports.
School response and support measures
In a letter to families, Kenwood High School acknowledged the impact of the incident. According to WBAL-TV 11 News, the school wrote: “We understand how upsetting this was for the individual that was searched as well as the other students who witnessed the incident. Our counsellors will provide direct support to the students who were involved in this incident and are also available to speak with any student who may need support.”Allen’s grandfather, Lamont Davis, reflected on the emotional toll of the experience. “Nobody wants this to happen to their child. No one wants this to happen,” he told WBAL-TV 11 News.
Balancing technology and human judgement
The incident at Kenwood High underscores the challenges of integrating AI into sensitive environments such as schools. While the technology can assist in identifying threats, the over-reliance on automated systems without adequate human verification may result in unnecessary distress and erode trust between students and authorities.For Allen, the experience has become a reminder of how quickly technology can escalate a situation, even when no real danger exists. For schools, it raises a critical question: How to harness the potential of AI while ensuring that the human element remains central in decisions that directly affect student safety.As AI continues to play an expanding role in educational institutions, incidents like this will be pivotal in shaping protocols, oversight mechanisms, and the broader conversation about the role of technology in safeguarding students.
