On March 22, Jennifer Dean, the principal of Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte, NC emailed members of her staff to tell them about a new security system being installed. Made by a Massachusetts-based company called Evolv Technology, the system claims to use artificial intelligence to detect guns and other concealed weapons by scanning people as they enter a building.
“I am excited about the new equipment and our scanning process, which will become another layer of safety support for our school,” Dean wrote in an email announcing the scanners’ installation at Mallard Creek High. “We have the unique opportunity, through the use of these scanners, to proactively screen for weapons everyday and to deter people from bringing weapons on our campus.”
Evolv has been especially bullish in marketing its new tech. Its CEO has made multiple media appearances in the wake of the deadly shootings in Uvalde, Tex., and Buffalo, NY, in which he implied that its system could have prevented the tragedies. Schools have been key among its customers, which also include sports stadiums and other large venues across the country.