A system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) mistakenly identified a high school student’s Doritos bag as a firearm, prompting local authorities to be notified that the student was armed.
Taki Allen was enjoying snacks with friends outside Kenwood High School in Baltimore on Monday night when an armed police officer approached her.
“Initially, I was unsure of their intentions until they started approaching me with weapons drawn, ordering me to ‘Get on the ground,’ and I thought, ‘What is happening?'” Allen recounted to WBAL-TV 11 News.
Allen stated that they forced him to his knees, handcuffed him, and conducted a search but found nothing. They then showed her the image that triggered the alarm.
“I was just holding a bag of Doritos, and they mentioned it resembled a gun because it had two hands with a finger protruding,” Allen explained.
Last year, high schools in Baltimore County began using a gun detection system that leverages AI and school cameras to identify potential weapons. If anything suspicious is detected, both the school and police are notified.
In a letter to families, which was acquired by WBAL TV 11 News, the school stated: “We recognize how distressing this situation must have been for the individual who was searched as well as for other students who witnessed the event. Our counselors are ready to provide direct support to those involved and are available to talk with anyone needing assistance.”
Baltimore County police informed the media: “Officers from Essex Precinct 11 responded to Kenwood High School after a report of an individual carrying a weapon. Upon arrival, they searched the individual and confirmed that he did not possess a weapon.”
“Nobody wants their child to experience this. No one wants such incidents to occur,” said Allen’s grandfather, Lamont Davis, to the news station.
Source: www.theguardian.com
