LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Clark County School District computer technician arrested on charges of installing electronic surveillance told detectives it was for his “AI device business,” according to court documents.
Haroon Zakai, 44, reportedly told CCSD police officials he was trying to record student conversations for his artificial intelligence business, aiming to “stop bullying.”
CCSD police arrested Zakai on Wednesday, March 20. He was an employee at Gwendolyn Woolley Elementary School.
According to court documents, an officer responded to the school on Wednesday after a teacher found a digital recording device inside a sensor that had fallen from the ceiling and landed on her classroom floor.
The same teacher told police Zakai reportedly entered her room and attempted to take the device away.
CCSD police officials said Zakai begged on one knee, asking the teacher not to call law enforcement, saying it would “ruin him,” documents said.
He allegedly took the device away from the teacher, saying he “would just ‘delete it and will never happen again,’” the report indicates
He “kept stating, ‘just let me delete’,” and an altercation took place with the teacher placing Zakai in a “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” hold, according to court documents. Zakai then “began to cry” and the teacher released him, the report said.
Zakai ran out of the room with the device, the report said. Later, he called the principal at the school, saying that he had left with his son and would return to speak with law enforcement officials, the documents indicate.
CCSD police obtained the device and turned it over for processing.
Zakai faces charges related to electronic surveillance at school without knowledge, attempting to destroy/conceal evidence, damage to community property, and monitoring private conversations.
He was placed on unpaid leave and is not allowed on campus.
