On February 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, became the site of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. A former student entered the campus armed with a semiautomatic rifle, opening fire on classrooms and hallways in a sudden, chaotic attack that left 17 people dead and 17 more injured. The tragedy sent shockwaves through the local community and the nation, highlighting vulnerabilities in school safety and prompting urgent discussions about gun control, mental health resources, and emergency response protocols. In the aftermath, students and families became vocal advocates for policy change, including a team of Navy SEALs and military veterans.
In 2018, the team, led by CEO Mike Lahiff, founded ZeroEyes out of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. “As veterans and parents,” the company’s website states, “ZeroEyes’ co-founders were compelled to develop a proactive solution to keep people safe after seeing and hearing about mass shootings occurring in schools and other public places, and the impact they have on our society.” ZeroEyes’ solution is AI-powered visual gun detection technology designed to integrate with existing security cameras in schools, businesses, and government facilities.
The software continuously monitors live video feeds for firearms, providing immediate alerts to security personnel and law enforcement. This proactive approach allows schools to respond to potential threats in seconds rather than minutes, reducing the likelihood of injury or loss of life. In southern New Jersey, the Glassboro Public School District recently implemented the technology to monitor its campuses. “With this integration, we effectively reduce the time to zero seconds which, obviously every second counts when we want to keep folks safe,” said Glassboro Public School District Superintendent, Al Lewis. The district has seen improved situational awareness and faster coordination between school safety staff and local authorities, demonstrating how AI can complement traditional emergency response systems.
ZeroEyes AI Gun Detection Moves Airborne
Building on its success in schools, ZeroEyes has expanded into drone-based security solutions through its newly launched ZeroEyes Awareness Kit. ZE Government Solutions, or ZEGS, is the company’s specialized division focused on providing advanced security solutions to government agencies and public sector organizations.
The drone technology combines ZeroEyes’ AI gun detection with autonomous and remotely piloted aerial systems to monitor outdoor spaces, parking lots, and large public venues. By linking cameras on drones to the ZeroEyes Operations Center, trained personnel can verify potential threats in real time and deliver verified alerts to security teams on the ground. The system is designed to operate seamlessly alongside existing surveillance infrastructure, providing a unified approach to threat detection and situational awareness.
“Protecting outdoor spaces is one of the greatest challenges in security today,” said Dustin Kisling, Executive Vice President of ZEGS. “With our new drone solution, we can detect potential threats in real time and provide verified alerts, giving organizations and the public the confidence that help is on the way when it matters most.”
The ZeroEyes drone system can be deployed in a variety of scenarios, including active shooter situations, hostage incidents, barricaded subjects, and other high-risk environments. By delivering immediate visual confirmation and automated notifications, the technology enhances decision-making for first responders and security personnel, reducing response times and improving overall safety outcomes.
Proactive Security With Human Verification
The drone-based platform represents an evolution of ZeroEyes’ commitment to proactive security. Unlike traditional surveillance, which relies on human operators to notice and report suspicious activity, the system constantly analyzes visual data using AI algorithms, ensuring no threat goes undetected. This combination of artificial intelligence, human verification, and aerial mobility allows ZeroEyes to extend its protective reach beyond the physical limits of fixed cameras.
As more school districts, public facilities, and corporate campuses adopt these systems, ZeroEyes is positioning itself at the forefront of next-generation threat detection. The integration of AI and drone technology provides a comprehensive safety solution capable of addressing both indoor and outdoor threats with rapid, verified responses. By leveraging the expertise of military veterans and state-of-the-art technology, ZeroEyes demonstrates how innovation can transform tragedy into actionable protection, giving communities the tools they need to prevent violence before it occurs. “It’s our duty to provide whatever we can to the public to increase a general feeling of safety. It would be our honor to individually protect each and every American,” ZeroEyes states on its website. “Due to our country’s widespread need, we hope our technology can reach far and wide in order to do just that.”
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