Antioch High School shooter Solomon Henderson managed to avoid an artificial intelligence weapons detection system in the moments before he opened fire and killed year-old Josselin Corea Escalante. But when Henderson, 17, retrieved a handgun from the men's room Wednesday morning, the camera system did not notice his weapon. However, when police and school resource officers arrived on the scene, the system did activate. Omnilert CEO Dave Fraser also emphasized to NBC News that 'this is not a case of the firearm not being recognized by the system,' and instead, 'the location of the shooter and the firearm meant that the weapon was not visible.
Police have said Henderson opened fire inside the school cafeteria shortly after 11am, firing several rounds using a pistol, before taking his own life with the weapon. Another student was also injured with a graze wound to the arm, and was rushed to the hospital in stable condition, while a fourth boy was injured during the commotion to flee the scene.
Antioch High School shooter Solomon Henderson, 17, skillfully avoided an artificial intelligence weapons detection system in the moments before he opened fire. The Omnilert system only activated once school resource officers deployed their weapons. Adrienne Battle, the superintendent of Nashville schools, said in the aftermath that the district implemented a 'range of safety measures' including partnerships with the police for school resource officers, shatter-resistant film for glass and security vestibules that provide a barrier between visitors and the main entrance.
Donald Maye, head of operations at surveillance technology research company IPVM, said Wednesday's shooting 'highlights the challenges school districts face'. Adrienne Battle, the superintendent of Nashville schools, spoke about the district's safety measures in a news conference on Wednesday. Amy Klinger, the director of programs for nonprofit Educator's School Safety Network, added that the most effective safeguard schools can use to prevent violence are based on building trust among students, teachers and administrators to share early signs of potential threats - like erratic behavior or troubling social media posts.
But you can't replace it with technology. It is now believed Henderson was 'significantly influenced' by web-based materials found on sites police said 'most would find harmful or objectionable. There are also online materials that police are investigating, Police Chief John Drake said Wednesday. Henderson shot and killed year-old Josselin Corea Escalante shortly after 11am.
