Baltimore County officials, including Councilman Izzy Patoka, have called for an immediate review of procedures, stating that "no child... should be accosted by police for eating a bag of Doritos". Broader Controversy in AI Surveillance
The AI system mistook the shape and posture of the student holding the snack bag for someone carrying a weapon. handcuffed teen
The student, Taki Allen, had just finished football practice and was waiting for a ride home when the school's surveillance software, Omnilert, flagged him. Despite the company claiming the system "functioned as intended" to prioritize safety, the incident resulted in approximately eight police cars swarming the teen. The student, Taki Allen, had just finished football
While Omnilert reviewers reportedly found no threat, a school official allegedly missed that update and called for a police response. In October 2025, a 16-year-old student at Kenwood
In October 2025, a 16-year-old student at Kenwood High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, was handcuffed at gunpoint after an mistakenly identified a crumpled bag of Doritos in his pocket as a firearm.
The ACLU and other civil rights advocates have pointed out that such "false positives" can turn a mundane after-school moment into a life-threatening situation. While the school district offered counseling to Allen, the lack of a personal apology from officials has been a point of further criticism from his family.
Armed officers ordered Allen to his knees and handcuffed him while searching for a non-existent weapon.