All posts tagged: gun

School’s Million AI Gun Detection System Fails to Detect Weapon Before Fatal School Shooting

School’s $1 Million AI Gun Detection System Fails to Detect Weapon Before Fatal School Shooting

Published by José

“There’s no system that’s going to 100 percent capture everything a person has on them.” Gun Intended An expensive AI gun detection system appears to have been a massive waste of money after it failed to detect the weapon used in a school shooting. As NBC News reports, the $1 million contract that Nashville’s Antioch High School paid to a gun detection software company called Omnilert has come into question after a student managed to sneak in a gun and open fire in his high school’s cafeteria. The 17-year-old gunman shot and killed one 16-year-old classmate and wounded another before turning the gun on himself, which he did not survive. Omnilert’s technology used the school’s security cameras and added AI that was supposed to detect hidden weapons. It didn’t recognize the shooter’s gun, NBC notes, in a news conference after the massacre, Metro Nashville Public Schools chief technology and communications officer Sean Braisted pointed out that the Omnilert system did activate when police entered with their own weapons. “It is designed to activate immediately once it detects …

Adverse childhood experiences linked to defensive gun use via threat sensitivity

Adverse childhood experiences linked to defensive gun use via threat sensitivity

Published by José

A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research explores how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence defensive gun use among adults with firearm access. The researchers found that individuals exposed to ACEs, such as abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction, are more likely to engage in defensive gun use due to heightened sensitivity to perceived threats. This suggests that for some people, early traumatic experiences can shape a worldview where danger feels ever-present, potentially prompting the use of firearms. Adverse childhood experiences have long been recognized as risk factors for various negative outcomes, including mental health challenges, risky behaviors, and interpersonal violence. However, little research has focused on how these early experiences might affect patterns of firearm use in adulthood, particularly defensive gun use. Defensive gun use refers to using or displaying a firearm to protect oneself, others, or property, whether or not the situation involves an actual threat. While proponents argue that DGU is a legitimate and necessary form of self-defense, critics highlight its potential to escalate conflicts and increase harm. The United States, …

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

Published by skeptic

The Accidental Sleuth Strikes Again Ever had one of those days where you accidentally stumble into a life of crime? No? Just Finlay Donovan then. In Elle Cosimano’s third installment of the Finlay Donovan series, our favorite hot-mess mom-turned-accidental-hitwoman is back, and she’s jumping headfirst into a whole new world of trouble. “Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun” picks up where “Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead” left off, with Finlay and her partner-in-crime (and nanny extraordinaire) Vero neck-deep in mob debt and desperately trying to keep their heads above water. It’s a bit like watching a cat try to swim – hilarious, slightly concerning, but you can’t help but root for them. A Citizen’s Police Academy? What Could Go Wrong? In a twist that had me laughing out loud, Finlay and Vero find themselves enrolling in a citizen’s police academy. It’s like sending a fox to guard the henhouse, except in this case, the fox is wearing mom jeans and has spit-up on her shoulder. Their mission? Find a contract killer before the cops do. Oh, …

The AI Machine Gun of the Future Is Already Here

The AI Machine Gun of the Future Is Already Here

Published by skeptic

Amid a rising tide of low-cost weaponized adversary drones menacing American troops abroad, the US military is pulling out all the stops to protect its forces from the ever-present threat of death from above. But between expensive munitions, futuristic but complicated directed energy weapons, and its own growing drone arsenal, the Pentagon is increasingly eyeing an elegantly simple solution to its growing drone problem: reinventing the gun. At the Technology Readiness Experimentation (T-REX) event in August, the US Defense Department tested an artificial intelligence-enabled autonomous robotic gun system developed by fledgling defense contractor Allen Control Systems dubbed the “Bullfrog.” Consisting of a 7.62-mm M240 machine gun mounted on a specially designed rotating turret outfitted with an electro-optical sensor, proprietary AI, and computer vision software, the Bullfrog was designed to deliver small arms fire on drone targets with far more precision than the average US service member can achieve with a standard-issue weapon like the M4 carbine or next-generation XM7 rifle. Indeed, footage of the Bullfrog in action published by ACS shows the truck-mounted system locking …

Indirect exposure to gun violence linked to reduced quality of life in four different domains

Indirect exposure to gun violence linked to reduced quality of life in four different domains

Published by José

A recent study published in the Journal of Urban Health reveals that even indirect exposure to gun violence—such as witnessing or hearing about shootings—is associated with a diminished quality of life for individuals living near these incidents. The study suggests that exposure to gun violence impacts people’s physical, psychological, social, and environmental well-being, even if they themselves are not directly injured. This sheds light on the far-reaching impacts of gun violence on communities, suggesting that its effects extend well beyond traditional victim counts. Every year, tens of thousands of Americans are affected by gun-related incidents, which include not only homicides and injuries but also non-lethal threats and witnessing shootings. While those directly injured by gun violence face physical and psychological challenges, many others who are indirectly exposed—such as those witnessing a shooting or knowing a victim—also experience substantial distress. Researchers from the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at Rutgers University conducted their study to explore these less visible effects of gun violence. They recognized that while there is extensive data on the physical and …

Silent wounds of a generation: The toll of gun violence on youth mental health and a call for change

Silent wounds of a generation: The toll of gun violence on youth mental health and a call for change

Published by Sam

After every school shooting, a painful and familiar cycle repeats itself. Just last month, it was Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The month before, Irondequoit, New York. In the aftermath, students and staff go back to school and try to reestablish some semblance of normalcy — attending classes, focusing on their studies, and hanging out with their friends. But beneath the surface, the reality is that life will never be “normal” again. Grief, survivor’s guilt, PTSD, anxiety and depression will follow them from their classrooms to their homes and everywhere in between. Gun violence significantly affects the mental health of survivors, while also affecting the nation as a whole. We grieve with the devastated neighbors and people of our community whenever we learn of another gun-related tragedy, but too often, we fail to acknowledge the trauma that comes with it. In ways we do not yet fully comprehend, this public health crisis is affecting a whole generation of students who are growing up in the wake of lockdown drills and school shootings. Since Columbine, over 383,000 students have experienced …

Top Gun: Maverick flight instructor dies in small plane crash during air show in New Mexico | US News

Top Gun: Maverick flight instructor dies in small plane crash during air show in New Mexico | US News

Published by skeptic

The​​​​​ flight instructor who trained actors in the 2022 Top Gun: Maverick movie has died in a small plane crash during an air show in New Mexico. Charles Thomas “Chuck” Coleman was the only person on board the two-seat Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 monoplane when it went down around 2:30pm local time on Sunday. Mr Coleman was performing aerobatics when the plane crashed during the Las Cruces Air and Space Expo at Las Cruces International Airport, city officials said. The air show was called off after the crash, which happened about half a mile west of the airport. Mr Coleman’s website said he was based out of California and was an engineer, aerobatic and test pilot with more than 10,000 hours of flight time. He performed at hundreds of air shows and had provided more than 3,000 rides in aerobatic aircraft, according to his website. As the instructor for actors in Top Gun, which stars Tom Cruise, he flew more than 100 flights to prepare the cast for flight in US Navy F-18 Hornets. Image: Chuck …

Machine Gun Kelly’s unscripted moment with Shania Twain at PCCAs leaves fans in tears

Machine Gun Kelly’s unscripted moment with Shania Twain at PCCAs leaves fans in tears

Published by skeptic

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Machine Gun Kelly’s unscripted moment with Shania Twain at the People’s Choice Country Awards on September 26 left fans very emotional. On Thursday night, the 34-year-old artist, whose real name is Colson Baker, joined the 59-year-old Canadian singer, who was hosting the ceremony, on stage. Machine Gun Kelly first performed “Lonely Road” with Jelly Roll before the “You’re Still The One” vocalist emerged from backstage to join her fellow artists. “That was awesome! I just love you,” she told Machine Gun Kelly, hugging and congratulating him. “Love you back,” he replied. Twain kept up the praise, admitting “Lonely Road” has become one of her favorite songs since its release earlier this year. As Machine Gun Kelly turned to walk off, leaving Twain close out …

Will ‘sigh of relief’ after US supreme court gun ruling be short-lived? | US supreme court

Will ‘sigh of relief’ after US supreme court gun ruling be short-lived? | US supreme court

Published by skeptic

The US supreme court decided to uphold a 30-year-old federal law prohibiting subjects of domestic violence restraining orders (DVROs) from possessing guns. In Friday’s 8-1 decision, the justices – all save Clarence Thomas – agreed that Zackey Rahimi’s constitutional rights were not violated when his guns were confiscated following a lengthy history of gun crimes and abuse against his then girlfriend and mother of his child. While the ruling is not a surprise to many experts who heard the 7 November 2023 oral argument, it represents a small victory for those who advocate for protection orders like DVROs and work with survivors of domestic abuse. “I think we’re all breathing a sigh of relief that the court did not decide to put more people in direct risk of being killed or seriously injured,” said Kelly Roskam, director of law and policy for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. “There seemed to be a general acceptance among the justices that there is this national historical tradition of disarming people who are dangerous.” The case …