On Halloween 2022, a violent incident at Proctor High School in Utica, New York, left senior Ehni Ler Htoo with serious injuries. Htoo was attacked by a fellow student who stabbed him multiple times with a 9-inch hunting knife. Despite his injuries, Htoo managed to wrestle the knife away from his assailant. Police reports described a chaotic scene, noting, "a large amount of blood pooling on [Htoo's] stomach" and blood on the floor and walls. Htoo later recounted, "All I know is my life was at risk, and I had nothing to do but fight for it. I feel like I could have died during that situation."

The attack shocked the Utica community, especially since the school district had recently invested approximately $4 million in an advanced security system from Evolv Technology, designed to detect weapons. Former acting superintendent Brian Nolan expressed disbelief that a student could bring a knife into the school, stating, "He came in and he walked right through the Evolv system with his backpack."

Evolv Technology defended its system, claiming it has a "proven ability to consistently detect a wide variety of threats." However, critics argue that incidents like this highlight the limitations of high-tech security solutions in schools. Dr. Kenneth Trump, a school safety consultant, noted, "The reality is there's not a great deal of evidence that many of the products being marketed would even work in an active shooter or other school security threat."

As school violence continues to rise in the United States, the market for security products has expanded significantly. School districts now have access to a range of high-tech solutions, including attack drones and bullet-proof glass film. Estimates suggest that the school security industry is worth at least $3 billion, with K-12 public schools spending nearly half a billion dollars on security upgrades in the past five years alone.

Curt Lavarello, executive director of the School Safety Advisory Council, noted a dramatic increase in vendors at school safety conferences, stating, "I remember coming to the conference where there may be four or five vendors. And now you see that we're over one hundred." Despite the growth, Lavarello expressed caution about relying solely on technology for safety, saying, "I can't say there is a silver bullet out there that is going to give us that 100% guarantee."

In the wake of high-profile shootings, such as those at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 and Robb Elementary School in 2022, school administrators feel pressure to enhance safety measures. Dr. Rita Bishop, a former superintendent, recalled receiving numerous calls from vendors after each shooting, stating, "I have to tell you, I've heard some pretty ridiculous proposals over the years."

Concerns have also been raised about the influx of public grant money into the school security market, which some believe has attracted opportunistic companies. Lavarello remarked, "Any time you influx a market with the kind of dollars that we've seen go to school safety … you're going to have some murky waters."

Despite significant investments in security technology, some systems have been criticized for failing to perform as expected. An investigative report following the 2021 Oxford High School shooting in Michigan highlighted failures in their emergency alert system, which "did not work as marketed" and may have given a false sense of security. Similarly, after a shooting at Antioch School in January 2025, Nashville's school district reported that their AI weapons detection system failed to identify the gun used in the attack.

The Security Industry Association acknowledged that while recent technological advances have improved security measures, there are still products that require scrutiny. They stated, "There is no single solution that alone will make our schools safe."

Experts emphasize the importance of training staff and fostering relationships with students as critical components of school safety. In a recent incident in Wisconsin, teachers effectively locked doors and guided students to safety during a shooting, actions credited with saving lives. Trump stated, "The first and best line of defense is a well-trained, highly alert staff and student body."

Following the stabbing incident at Proctor High School, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against Evolv for deceptive marketing practices. The company settled the complaint in late 2024 without admitting wrongdoing. Evolv stated that its marketing has evolved since the complaint and that it has gained over three dozen new school district customers.

Despite the ongoing use of Evolv's systems in Utica schools, Nolan expressed skepticism about their effectiveness, stating, "Absolutely not," when asked if the system made students safer.