LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A computer technician at a Clark County elementary school claimed he'd secretly installed a digital audio recorder in a classroom "to get recordings of students conversations for his AI device business to stop bullying."
That's according to a declaration of probable cause of the arrest of Haroon Rashid Zakai, who was taken into custody at Gwendolyn Woolley Elementary School on Wednesday, March 20.
The teacher who discovered the device in her classroom told police Zakai tried to take it from her, but she placed him in a "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" hold until he cried and ran out of the room.
Police were told the teacher found the device after a sensor that was normally mounted in the ceiling in her classroom fell to the floor. In the sensor housing, she found a digital audio recording device that was still actively recording.
A few hours after the device was discovered, the teacher told police Zakai came into her classroom and told her he was the one who had placed it in the ceiling, according to the report.
The teacher told police Zakai "went down on one knee and begged [her] not to call police, stating it would ruin him," the report states. "The suspect told the [teacher] he was trying to get recordings of student conversations for his AI device business to stop bullying."
Zakai also tried to take the device, police noted in the report, telling the teacher "he would just delete it and it will never happen again."
The teacher was able to keep the device in her possession after the altercation with Zakai, and she ran to another teacher's room to wait for police to arrive, officers noted in the report.
The device was turned over to detectives for processing. Investigators did not make any notes about its contents in the report reviewed by Channel 13.
In their report, police noted that teachers and students have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a school classroom:
"A classroom in a school would be considered a private area of school that confidential information is discussed about juveniles and staff members with a reasonable expectation of privacy that said information would not be recorded without prior authorization from all parties involved in the conversations."
In an interview with police, Zakai invoked his Miranda Rights and requested a lawyer before any questioning.
He was booked into jail for the following charges:
- electronic surveillance at school without prior knowledge
- attempting to destroy/conceal evidence
- damaging community property
- monitoring private conversations
In a previous statement, Clark County School District officials said Zakai would be placed on unpaid leave and would not be allowed on campus.
