Inside the $3 billion school security industry as deadly shootings continue

Philadelphia — Rob Huberty’s operations center reads “military” — for good reason.

His company, ZeroEyes, seeks to fight the American scourge of school shooters. Its artificial intelligence technology scans security cameras for guns in hundreds of school districts, beaming images to a central command for rapid fire inspection. The software flags suspicious images to workers, who are then able to dispatch authorities with the press of a button.

Huberty, an ex-Navy SEAL, was struck by surveillance footage of the 2018 Parkland school shooter which showed his weapon visible on camera before the massacre occurred. No one was watching at the time, however, and the shooter went on to kill 17 people. ZeroEyes hopes to prevent that from happening by creating a window of opportunity to save lives before a shooting starts.

Just in the last four years, school shootings have killed more than 200 people and injured more than 600, according to a CBS News analysis of the K-12 School Shooting Database. Schools are spending hefty amounts on products like AI surveillance monitoring and collapsible safe rooms, while bulletproof backpacks and school supplies are marketed to fearful parents.

The ZeroEyes technology is pricey, costing tens of thousands of dollars annually. It also can’t spot hidden weapons, like a gun tucked in a backpack.

In Alabama, commercial contractor Kevin Thomas has a different solution: a collapsible, expandable safe room installed inside the classroom. It’s floor-to-ceiling, bullet-resistant and roomy enough for 30 students. Thomas started building the devices after 22 people were killed in the Uvalde school shooting in 2022.

Around $3 billion is spent on school security annually, according to market research firm Omdia, but Rutgers University professor Daniel Semenza says there’s “not very good research” to suggest the money is well spent. 

“It’s a fear response, and it’s an empowerment,” Semanza said.

Thomas’s safe room has a hefty price tag of $45,000. He says he would donate one to every classroom and would put himself out of business if he could — not likely, as America’s schools edge closer to fortresses.

Mark Strassmann

Mark Strassmann is CBS News’ senior national correspondent based in Atlanta. He covers a wide range of stories, including space exploration. Strassmann is also the senior national correspondent for “Face the Nation.”