Teen Handcuffed by Police After AI Mistakes Snack Packet for a Gun

A 16-year-old Baltimore teenager was detained by armed police after an artificial intelligence (AI) system mistakenly identified a snack packet in his pocket as a firearm. The incident occurred when the teenager, Taki Allen, had finished eating a bag of Doritos after football practice and put the empty packet in his pocket. About 20 minutes later, officers arrived at the scene with guns drawn. Allen was handcuffed but not arrested after police confirmed that no weapon was involved. The AI alert, which had detected what appeared to be a gun, was later reviewed and found to be a false alarm. Despite this, the school’s safety team had already contacted the police. The incident has sparked criticism and calls for a review of AI-based security systems in schools. The security company, Omnilert, which provides the AI system, stated that it operates as designed by verifying potential threats and prioritizing safety, but acknowledged the incident’s unfortunate outcome. Local officials are now considering further scrutiny of the procedures surrounding the use of such technology in schools.