'Suicidal Robot' Apparently Had Enough of DC Life

If you ever find yourself being chased by a mob of angry robots, find a set of stairs or, even better, a fountain. Less than a week after it was dispatched to an office building in Washington, DC, a Knightscope K5 security robot by the name of "Steve" tumbled down a set of stairs and into a fountain, where it was no match for the ankle-deep water, per the Washington Post. Onlookers, unsure how to help the robot as it lay unmoving on its side, displayed little sympathy Monday. "We were promised flying cars, instead we got suicidal robots," one Twitter user complained. "Steps are our best defense against the Robopocalypse," observed another.

The waterlogged robot was eventually removed from the fountain by personnel in what appeared to be rubber boots, though it's unclear if it can be repaired. "These incidents show us where improvements are needed, which may then be deployed to contribute to the ongoing security of our tenants and residents," a rep for MRP Realty, the company hosting the robot at its DC office, tells CNET. Silicon Valley startup Knightscope adds it's investigating the "isolated event" but stresses that "no people were harmed or involved in any way." It plans to deliver a new security robot to the building for free. (This Knightscope security robot got revenge on a drunk guy who attacked it.)