Nashville considers adding weapon detection system to all high schools

Yahoo

07-02-2025

In the wake of a deadly shooting at Antioch High School last month, the Metro Nashville Public Schools board will consider installing a concealed weapons detection system into all district high schools.
A 17-year-old student opened fire in the cafeteria at Antioch High on Jan. 22, fatally shooting 16-year-old student Josselin Corea Escalante and wounding another student. The shooter then fatally shot himself. The tragedy reignited a long-simmering debate over whether MNPS should install metal detectors.
Less than a week after the shooting, Antioch High reopened with a new concealed weapons detection system in place known as Evolv. The system includes scanners at the entrance of the school similar to what patrons at a stadium or arena may pass through before an event. System Integrations, which owns Evovl, loaned a system to Antioch High for a monthlong pilot as students returned.
"The system has proven to be an effective layer of security, helping detect weapons while maintaining a welcoming and efficient entry process for students," a Friday news release from the district said.
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The day of the shooting at Antioch High, a separate system designed to detect brandished weapons failed to pick up the shooter's gun. That system, known as Omnilert, is powered by artificial intelligence and installed on all security cameras across MNPS. District spokesperson Sean Braisted said the student's gun was not detected due to the location of the cameras and the position of the weapon. However, the system did detect the brandished weapons of police officers as they entered the school a short time later.
MNPS Director Adrienne Battle said expanding Evolv is "an important step forward" and would take time to implement effectively to make sure the transition is smooth.
"There is no single solution to ending gun violence, a national epidemic that affects all parts of society, with access to weapons often going unchecked. However, we remain committed to doing what we can to protect our students and staff in our schools," Battle said in the release.
More: Antioch High School's AI weapon detection system failed to detect student's gun before deadly shooting
The proposed expansion will go before the MNPS board during its regular meeting Tuesday. It would amend the district's current contract with System Integrations to lease and install the systems on high school campuses district-wide.
A preliminary estimate showed the expansion would cost $1.25 million annually, according to the release. The proposal includes a plan to gradually deploy the systems to MNPS high schools in the coming weeks and month to work out efficient entry flow designs, train staff and educate students. While the overall cost may change, it will be up to the district to work out how to secure funding for the systems, if approved.
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell reiterated his call for stronger policies to prevent gun violence, but also acknowledged the proposal as a necessary step to address threats to school safety.
"I regret that we live in a time when schools must invest in weapons detection systems to keep students safe," O'Connell said in the release. "The reality is that meaningful gun safety measures by state and national leaders have remained out of reach, and we cannot wait for change that may never come."
MNPS Board Chair Freda Player also expressed her support for the expansion, saying it is part of a broader effort to train security personnel, secure access to schools and prepare for emergencies.
"As a school board, we are committed to providing the tools and resources needed to protect our students against another tragic situation like we experienced at Antioch High," Player said in the release.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville schools: Weapon detection system may expand to all HS campuses