Student’s creative clock draws police — and White House invitation
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A Texas high school student at the center of a tech storm after authorities mistook his clock invention for a bomb got a reprieve from the highest level Wednesday. President Obama invited him to the White House.
“Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House?,” @POTUS tweeted. “We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It’s what makes America great.”
Officials at MacArthur High School in Irving suspended freshman Ahmed Mohamed, 14, and called police Monday after determining that his invention looked like a bomb. Irving police handcuffed, questioned and detained Ahmed, then let him go.
Police Chief Larry Boyd said Wednesday the wires in a briefcase looked suspicious — and that Ahmed was not immediately “forthcoming” other than to say the device was a clock. He said the incident “evolved as it did as a matter of safety and an abundance of caution” and that no charges will be filed.
Ahmed, who has won awards for his inventions, said he created the clock over the weekend and brought it to school to show an engineering teacher. Ahmed’s case created a storm of support on social media, with #IStandWithAhmed trending on Twitter. Hillary Clinton tweeted support, and technology and engineering giants also chimed in.
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