A high school student in Baltimore was restrained by law enforcement after an artificial intelligence system falsely identified his bag of Doritos as a firearm. Taki Allen, a student at Kenwood High School, described the chaotic encounter on Monday night when police arrived with weapons and ordered him to the ground. “It was like eight cop cars that came pulling up for us. At first, I didn’t know where they were going until they started walking toward me with guns,” Allen recounted.

Officers informed Allen that an AI detection system had flagged his bag as a potential weapon. He was handcuffed, searched, and later found to have no contraband. A police officer showed him an image from the system, claiming the crumpled chip bag resembled a gun. County police confirmed the incident occurred after a report of a “suspicious person with a weapon,” but emphasized that no weapons were found.

The school’s AI-driven gun detection system, which uses existing cameras to identify threats, was deployed during the incident. School officials stated the technology functioned as intended, with human verification confirming the alert was unfounded. Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers reiterated that the program “worked how it was meant to,” while the principal, Kate Smith, acknowledged safety as a priority. However, Allen criticized the lack of immediate communication from school leadership, noting she did not contact him until three days after the incident.

The experience left Allen anxious about his safety at school. He now avoids going outside, fearing similar misunderstandings. “I feel like sometimes after practice I don’t go outside anymore,” he said. Allen urged the school to invest in more accurate technology to prevent future errors. Meanwhile, Rogers announced plans to review the notification process.