Pontiac implements AI gun detection technology throughout school district
PONTIAC, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Pontiac School District has deployed the ZeroEyes AI-based gun detection technology to protect students and staff against gun-related threats.
ZeroEyes was founded by Navy SEALs, Special Operations military veterans, and elite technologists and shares real-time information when an individual brandishes a gun near or in the school.
The Pontiac School District includes nine schools where the ZeroEyes technology will be added to existing security measures, including a visitor check-in system, smart sensors and video management software to provide a safe environment for its community.
"At Pontiac, we've dedicated significant resources to fostering opportunities for students, and we've witnessed the positive impact rippling throughout our community," said Dr. Kimberly Leverette, Interim Superintendent of Pontiac School District. "Our mission is to cultivate our schools as safe havens, and with ZeroEyes, we are able to enhance security and safety both during and after school hours."
Images are shared with the ZeroEyes Operation Center, which is staffed 24/7 by training U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If they determine the threat is valid, they will share a visual description, gun type and the last known location with local authorities and school staff in as quickly as three to five seconds.
The technology is added to existing digital security cameras.
"In the past few years, the state of Michigan has experienced great hardship when it comes to gun-related violence," said Mike Lahiff, CEO of ZeroEyes. "Pontiac School District continues to show its dedication to safety and eye for innovation with its deployment of ZeroEyes."
This announcement was released the same day that James Crumbley, the father of the Oxford High School shooter, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection to the shooting where his son killed four students and injured seven other people on Nov. 30, 2021. His wife, Jennifer Crumbley, was also found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in a separate trial in February. Their son was sentenced to life in prison without parole in December.
In addition to the Oxford High School shooting, there was a mass shooting at Michigan State University on February 13, 2023, where a gunman killed three students and injured five other people. The 43-year-old gunman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when he was confronted by authorities a few hours after the shooting.