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Retracted · 2026-07-12

Duplicate of knightscope-k5-georgetown-fountain-2017, the canonical record (linked to the knightscope-k5 model, primary-sourced, reviewed). This orphan (unlinked, unreviewed) is retracted to suppress it from aggregates; its own URL remains index,follow per the retraction policy.

Incident · Malfunction · Retracted

Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017)

Original claim shown above is no longer asserted. See the retraction notice for context.

In July 2017 a Knightscope K5 security robot patrolling the Washington Harbour development in Washington, D.C. slipped on steps adjacent to a fountain and fell into the water, becoming an internet-famous 'drowned robot.' No injuries; the unit was damaged.

Occurred 2017-07-17 · Knightscope K5 at M Resort Spa Casino, Henderson NV · Knightscope · M Resort Spa Casino, Henderson NV · Security robots

How to read this record

Incident records on DEPLOY are compiled from public sources (regulatory filings, news reports, and operator disclosures) and reflect what has been reported and tracked to date. They are not legal findings, determinations of fault, or safety ratings, and may be updated as new information is verified. See the sources below for the underlying references.
Track Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017)

Machine-readable surfaces

Sources (1)

  1. Museum of Failure · https://museumoffailure.com/exhibition/drowned-security-robot

Status history

  • Retracted · 2026-07-12

    Duplicate of knightscope-k5-georgetown-fountain-2017, the canonical record (linked to the knightscope-k5 model, primary-sourced, reviewed). This orphan (unlinked, unreviewed) is retracted to suppress it from aggregates; its own URL remains index,follow per the retraction policy.

Common questions

What happened in Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017)?
In July 2017 a Knightscope K5 security robot patrolling the Washington Harbour development in Washington, D.C. slipped on steps adjacent to a fountain and fell into the water, becoming an internet-famous 'drowned robot.' No injuries; the unit was damaged. This incident was later retracted; see the retraction banner at the top of the page for the correction.
When did this incident occur?
The incident is recorded as occurring on July 17, 2017 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.
What robot was involved in Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017)?
Knightscope K5 by Knightscope is the recorded robot involved in this incident at M Resort Spa Casino, Henderson NV.
Has anyone responded to Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017)?
No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.
What is the current status of Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017)?
This incident is retracted on the DEPLOY registry. The page remains so the correction reaches readers, but the incident is suppressed from aggregate counts (company / model / location) so it no longer counts against anyone.
Methodology: Verified · 1 source (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-14

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-14

Sources by quality tier

1
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Knightscope K5 security robot slipped down steps into a fountain at Washington Harbour, DC (2017).

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Canonical ID 5d911225-09cd-4196-91b7-9ea8e68361af