Omnilert said in a statement that it regrets the incident but maintained that "the process functioned as intended" to flag potential threats for human review.

"We regret that this incident occurred and wish to convey our concern to the student and the wider community affected by the events that followed," the company said.

Superintendent Myriam Rogers called the event "truly unfortunate" and said the district will review its safety systems.

"We never want to put any of our students in such a frightening situation," she said.

Allen's grandfather, Lamont Davis, demanded accountability.

"Something has got to be done," Davis told WBAL. "Changes have to be made and people have to be held accountable."

Several Baltimore County officials echoed those concerns.