An American teenager was recently apprehended by armed police following a false alarm generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) system. The AI erroneously identified an object the youth was carrying as a firearm, when in reality, he was simply holding a packet of crisps. The incident led to the teenager being handcuffed before the mistake was realized.

According to Taki Allen, a 16-year-old Baltimore pupil, he was confronted by an overwhelming police presence, which he described as “like eight cop cars.” Officers reportedly emerged from their vehicles with guns pointed directly at him, issuing commands for him to get on the ground. Allen recounted this incident to local news outlet WMAR-2 News.

The Baltimore County Police Department has affirmed that its officers’ response was fitting and proportionate, based on the real-time information available to them at the moment of the incident.

An artificial intelligence alert, after being forwarded to human reviewers, was swiftly determined to pose no credible threat. Despite this crucial finding, the principal reportedly failed to register the information and proceeded to contact the school’s safety team, which ultimately escalated the situation by notifying law enforcement.

Here are several ways to paraphrase the text, maintaining a unique, engaging, and original journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Concise and Direct):**
“The incident has, however, sparked calls for a comprehensive review of the school’s protocols governing the use of such technology.”

**Option 2 (Emphasizing Demand):**
“In the wake of the incident, various parties are now demanding a re-evaluation of school policies concerning the deployment of this technology.”

**Option 3 (Focus on Scrutiny):**
“Consequently, the event has prompted calls for a closer examination of the school’s guidelines for utilizing the technology in question.”

**Option 4 (Highlighting Pressure):**
“The controversy has, however, put pressure on school authorities to reassess their procedures for implementing such technology.”

**Option 5 (More Formal):**
“This development has ignited debate, leading to demands for an urgent review of the institution’s operational framework regarding the application of advanced technologies.”

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Concise):**
Mr. Allen informed local news outlets that, following football practice, he consumed a bag of Doritos and then placed the empty packet into his pocket.

**Option 2 (Slightly more descriptive):**
Speaking with local reporters, Mr. Allen recounted finishing a bag of Doritos after his football training session and subsequently tucking the empty wrapper into his pocket.

**Option 3 (Direct):**
According to Mr. Allen, who spoke with local media, he completed football practice, ate a bag of Doritos, and then pocketed the empty snack packet.

He recounted that armed police units arrived on the scene approximately 20 minutes later.

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

* He reported that he was ordered to kneel, arrested, and then handcuffed.
* According to his account, he was commanded to drop to his knees before being taken into custody and restrained with cuffs.
* The individual stated he was first directed to kneel, then placed under arrest and subsequently handcuffed.

Police officials in Baltimore County confirmed to BBC News that while Mr. Allen was indeed handcuffed, he was not formally arrested.

In a statement, officials confirmed the safe resolution of the incident, noting that no threat was ultimately identified.

Mr. Allen has adjusted his post-football practice routine, choosing to wait indoors. He cited safety concerns as the primary driver for this change, explaining that he no longer feels it is secure to be outside, particularly when vulnerable while eating or drinking, such as enjoying a bag of chips.

In a communication to parents, Principal Kate Smith confirmed that the school’s safety team conducted a rapid review of an initial alert and subsequently cancelled it upon verifying the absence of any weapon.

She informed the school’s resource officer (SRO) about the situation, prompting the SRO to then contact the local police precinct for additional support, she stated.

Law enforcement officers, responding to a call at the school, swiftly conducted a search of the individual, verifying the person was unarmed.

Nevertheless, local elected officials are now demanding a more comprehensive and exhaustive inquiry into the incident.

Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Pakota has urged Baltimore County Public Schools to undertake a detailed review of the protocols associated with its AI-driven weapon detection system, a request he conveyed in a recent Facebook post.

In a statement to BBC News, Omnilert, the company behind the AI tool, expressed its regret regarding the incident. The firm also conveyed its concern for both the student directly involved and the broader community impacted by the subsequent events.

The company confirmed that its automated system initially detected a suspected firearm. This preliminary finding was subsequently corroborated by its human review team upon reviewing the accompanying image.

Omnilert confirmed that the immediate notification, along with additional pertinent details, was swiftly relayed to the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) safety team for their urgent assessment, a process completed in a matter of seconds.

The security firm confirmed its involvement with the incident concluded once the matter was formally logged as resolved within its internal tracking system. The company further affirmed that its operational processes had, on the whole, performed as designed.

Here are a few options, maintaining the core meaning with a unique, engaging, and journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Focus on effectiveness despite false alarm):**
“Even though the object was later confirmed not to be a firearm, the system proved effective, successfully prioritizing safety and heightened awareness through swift human verification, a statement indicated.”

**Option 2 (Emphasizing protocol and purpose):**
“Despite the item ultimately proving not to be a weapon, the established protocol performed precisely as designed, ensuring immediate safety and vigilance through rapid human assessment, according to officials.”

**Option 3 (More direct and concise):**
“The process successfully amplified safety and awareness through rapid human verification, demonstrating its intended function even after the object in question was determined not to be a firearm, a spokesperson explained.”

Omnilert positions itself as a leading provider of AI-powered gun detection technology. The company supports this assertion on its website by featuring a range of U.S. schools among its presented case studies.

Detecting firearms in live, real-world scenarios is a highly intricate and often unpredictable endeavor.

Mr. Allen firmly asserted that a chip bag should under no circumstances be mistaken for a gun.

Here are a few options, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

**Option 1 (Concise & Direct):**
“The accuracy and effectiveness of artificial intelligence in identifying weapons have faced significant scrutiny.”

**Option 2 (Emphasizing Questions):**
“Questions have arisen regarding the reliability of AI systems when tasked with precisely identifying weapons.”

**Option 3 (Highlighting Critical Examination):**
“The capability of AI to reliably detect weapons is currently under critical examination.”

**Option 4 (Focus on Performance Concerns):**
“Concerns have been raised about the performance of artificial intelligence in accurately discerning the presence of weapons.”

Last year, the American security technology firm Evolv Technology faced a ban, prohibiting it from advancing unsubstantiated claims regarding its products. This action was taken after the company asserted that its artificial intelligence-powered scanning system, widely deployed across thousands of US schools, hospitals, and stadium entrances, possessed the capability to detect *all* weapons.

Here are several ways to paraphrase that statement, maintaining a clear, journalistic tone:

**Options:**

1. **”BBC News investigations conclusively demonstrated the inaccuracy of these assertions.”**
2. **”An examination by BBC News uncovered the baselessness of these claims.”**
3. **”Through its investigative reporting, BBC News disproved these allegations.”**
4. **”The BBC’s inquiries found these statements to be without factual basis.”**
5. **”Following detailed scrutiny, BBC News investigations established that the claims were unfounded.”**