A 16-year-old student in Baltimore was handcuffed by armed police after an artificial intelligence (AI) system incorrectly flagged him as carrying a gun when he was holding a packet of crisps.
The incident occurred after the school’s AI-powered weapon detection system raised an alert suggesting that Taki Allen, a pupil at a Baltimore County school, was armed. Allen told local outlet WMAR-2 News that police cars surrounded him and officers ordered him to the ground with their weapons drawn.
“Police showed up, like eight cop cars, and then they all came out with guns pointed at me, talking about getting on the ground,” he said. Allen explained he had finished a bag of Doritos after football practice and placed the empty packet in his pocket shortly before the incident.
The Baltimore County Police Department confirmed that Allen had been handcuffed but not arrested. “The incident was safely resolved after it was determined there was no threat,” the department told the BBC in a statement.
According to the school, the AI alert was reviewed and cancelled after human evaluators confirmed there was no weapon. However, the school principal mistakenly contacted the safety team, which then called the police.
Principal Kate Smith said in a letter to parents that the school’s safety team “quickly reviewed and cancelled the initial alert after confirming there was no weapon,” but police were already on their way.
Following the incident, Baltimore County councillor Izzy Pakota urged the school district to review its procedures for using AI-powered security tools.
Omnilert, the company behind the detection system, expressed regret over the event, saying it had operated as intended. “While the object was later determined not to be a firearm, the process functioned as intended: to prioritise safety and awareness through rapid human verification,” it said.
The firm added that its review team had verified an image that appeared to show a firearm and passed it to Baltimore County Public Schools’ safety officers “within seconds” for further assessment.
However, the episode has renewed questions about the reliability of AI in weapon detection. Last year, another U.S. firm, Evolv Technology, was banned from making unsupported claims about its scanners’ ability to detect all weapons after investigations revealed inaccuracies.
Reflecting on his experience, Allen said he no longer feels safe walking outside after practice. “I don’t think no chip bag should be mistaken for a gun at all,” he said.