NEW YORK — Federal authorities in New York are currently looking into documents from Evolv, the company behind an AI-assisted weapons detection scanner that was briefly used in the subway system over the summer.
On November 1, Evolv disclosed in a public filing that it had received a voluntary request for documents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The specifics of the request remain unclear, as the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan has chosen not to comment. In a statement via email, an Evolv representative expressed the company’s willingness to assist any government entities and regulatory bodies seeking information.
Evolv, which is based in Massachusetts, has deployed its technology in various settings, including sports arenas and educational institutions, but it has also faced accusations of misconduct. In the previous month, the company’s board decided to dismiss its CEO after an internal investigation uncovered issues involving certain sales that were not aligned with contractual agreements.
Furthermore, the company disclosed on Tuesday that it has settled a prior investigation launched by the Federal Trade Commission last year, concerning claims of misleading marketing tactics. In addition, Evolv is currently under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Despite facing various legal and regulatory challenges, New York City Mayor Eric Adams initiated a pilot program to introduce several of Evolv’s scanners into the subway system this summer to help deter gun-related violence. The program faced immediate backlash from civil rights organizations that argued the searches were unconstitutional and raised doubts regarding the scanners’ effectiveness.
In October, city officials reported that the scanners failed to identify any individuals carrying firearms, yet they generated over 100 false alarms. At that point, a representative from the New York Police Department stated that the department was still assessing the results of the pilot program and had yet to formalize any agreement with Evolv.
