Police handcuffed and searched a student at a Baltimore County, Maryland, high school this week after an artificial intelligence-driven security system mistook an empty bag of Doritos for a possible gun, prompting community outrage and calls for a review of the technology.
Kenwood High student Taki Allen said that he was waiting for a ride after football practice when officers confronted him, CNN reported Saturday.
“They made me get on my knees, put my hands behind my back, and cuffed me,” Allen told WBAL-TV.
“They searched me, and they figured out I had nothing,” he added. “Then, they went over to where I was standing and found a bag of chips on the floor.”
Allen described the scene as chaotic, saying “about eight cop cars” arrived and officers drew their weapons.
“The first thing I was wondering was, was I about to die? Because they had a gun pointed at me,” he said. “I was just holding a Doritos bag — it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun.”
Baltimore County police told WBAL that officers responded to a report of “a suspicious person with a weapon” but determined the student was unarmed after searching him.
Kenwood Principal Kate Smith said the school’s security department had already reviewed and canceled the AI gun alert before police were called.
However, she said she notified the school resource officer, who requested police backup, not realizing the alert had been cleared.
“We understand how upsetting this was for the individual who was searched as well as the other students who witnessed the incident,” Smith said in a statement to parents. “Please know that ensuring the safety of our students and school community is one of our highest priorities.”
The AI gun detection system, developed by Omnilert, analyzes existing school security camera footage and has been used in Baltimore County public schools since 2023.
Omnilert said in a statement that it regrets the incident but maintained that “the process functioned as intended” to flag potential threats for human review.
“We regret that this incident occurred and wish to convey our concern to the student and the wider community affected by the events that followed,” the company said.
Superintendent Myriam Rogers called the event “truly unfortunate” and said the district will review its safety systems.
“We never want to put any of our students in such a frightening situation,” she said.
Allen’s grandfather, Lamont Davis, demanded accountability.
“Something has got to be done,” Davis told WBAL. “Changes have to be made and people have to be held accountable.”
Several Baltimore County officials echoed those concerns.
“No child in our school system should be accosted by police for eating a bag of Doritos,” County Councilman Izzy Patoka said in a statement.
Councilman Julian Jones Jr. also urged a review “to make sure there are safeguards in place, so this type of error does not happen again.”
Rogers said examining the system and other security practices is part of the district’s regular review process.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
