School Shootings Surge in the U.S. Since 2021
Number of Incidents and Victims Quadruple in a Decade
Sharp Divide Over AI Detectors Introduced in Schools
As the number of students carrying firearms to school has recently increased, schools across the United States have been consecutively adopting artificial intelligence (AI) detectors. However, controversy has arisen after an AI detector at one school alerted authorities that someone was carrying a gun, prompting a police response, only for it to be revealed that the object in question was actually a bag of snacks. On the 26th, Yonhap News TV, citing local outlets such as WBALTV, reported that a recent incident in the United States involved an AI detector malfunctioning, which led to a police dispatch.
As the number of students carrying firearms to school has increased recently, schools across the United States are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) detectors. Photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay
On the 20th, Taki Allen was leaving Kenwood High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, after playing soccer with friends. As he was walking while eating potato chips, eight police cars suddenly approached him. Officers got out in front of him, pointed their guns, and shouted, "Get on the ground!" Startled, Allen replied, "What did you say?" The police ordered Allen to kneel and then handcuffed him. A subsequent search found nothing. The police then discovered a bag of potato chips where Allen had initially been standing. Embarrassed, the officers showed him the photo that had triggered the AI detector's alert. Allen explained the situation: "I was just holding a Doritos bag. One of my fingers was sticking out, and they said it looked like a gun."
High schools in Baltimore County introduced a firearm detection system using AI last year to identify potential weapons. This system automatically alerts the school safety team and police if it detects an object resembling a weapon, but in this case, the system mistook a snack bag for a firearm. Omnilert, the AI system provider, stated, "The system worked as designed," adding, "It ensures rapid, informed decision-making by detecting potential threats."
Public Opinion Divided Over AI Detectors Introduced to Prevent School Shootings
Public opinion in the United States is divided over the introduction of AI detectors aimed at preventing school shootings. Some argue that the technology infringes on student rights, while others insist that it is necessary to prevent shootings in advance. Meanwhile, according to the 'K-12 School Shooting Database,' which tracks shooting incidents at schools from kindergarten through high school nationwide since 1966, both the number of incidents and casualties in the United States have increased noticeably since 2021. Compared to the early 2010s, both the number of incidents and casualties have increased by more than four times.
The annual number of shooting incidents since 1966 involving firearms discharged or brandished during school hours in kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools across the United States, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. K-12 School Shooting Database
In particular, the number of shooting incidents in 2018 and 2019 was 199 and 124, respectively, significantly surpassing previous records. During the pandemic in 2020, the number dropped relatively to 116, but then began to rise again, reaching 257 incidents in 2021, 308 in 2022, and 349 in 2023, each setting new all-time highs. In 2024, 325 incidents have been reported. The number of victims has also increased significantly. The highest annual number of victims was 92 in 1986, but this rose to 159 in 2018, and has surged in recent years, reaching 189 in 2021, 273 in 2022, and 249 in 2023. In 2024, 267 people have been reported as victims.
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