Catholic college students lure man to campus, mob ambushes, beats him; police say TikTok trend inspired it
Students at a Catholic college in Massachusetts used a popular dating app to lure a man to the campus for a "To Catch a Predator" TikTok social media trend, according to police. A mob of as many as 30 beat up the victim, court documents say. Five students from Assumption University were arrested and hit with charges related to the alleged assault.'This got out of hand and went bad.'Joaquin Smith, Isabella Trudeau, Kevin Carroll, Kelsy Brainard, and Easton Randall each were charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Carroll also faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Brainard was hit with an additional charge of witness intimidation.Brainard — an 18-year-old student at the school — befriended a 22-year-old man on the Tinder dating app. Police said conversations became sexual, and Brainard invited the unnamed man to the Assumption campus, according to WCVB-TV.On Oct. 1, the man arrived at the campus to meet Brainard. Surveillance video shows Brainard letting the man into Alumni Hall — the video shows him running out minutes later, according to charging documents. The alleged victim was reportedly seen on video fleeing from a mob of students chasing him with their phones out and recording the incident. “It appears that the group chasing (the alleged victim) was staged and/or awaiting his arrival,” police said, according to Boston.com. “A few minutes later, you see the group coming back in, laughing and high-fiving with each other; Ms. Brainard is included in the group.”Between 25 to 30 people people “came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile and accusing that he liked having sex with 17-year-old girls,” according to the police report filed in Worcester District Court."The subject reported that he was able to break free and ran up the stairs being chased by the group of 25 or more," police said.The man fled to his car, but the mob caught up to him and allegedly punched him and kicked him and repeatedly slammed the driver's side door on his head.The Worcester Police Department later received a report from the alleged victim who said he was on campus to meet a girl and was subsequently attacked by a "mob."Brainard initially told police that a “creepy” guy came to campus uninvited, and she told a resident assistant that the man was looking to meet an underage girl, according to police. Officers said they reviewed the conversations on the Tinder dating app and showed no evidence that the man was looking to meet underage girls.'The goal of the Tinder invite was to simulate the TikTok fad of luring a sexual predator to a location and subsequently physically assaulting him or calling the police.'Campus surveillance video shows Brainard leading the man to a basement lounge and then watching TV with him, court documents say. Investigators said Brainard can be seen on video laughing and smiling and "does not appear to be in fear or even slightly uncomfortable" when the victim arrived at the hall."Upon obtaining [video] footage it is determined that the report filed by Ms. Brainard was false and fabricated and her victimization was fraudulently reported to mislead police in believing a sexual predator was on campus to conceal that the subject was lured to campus to be caught as a sexual predator by a group of students lacking legal authority to do so," according to the police report. Police added, "The goal of the Tinder invite was to simulate the TikTok fad of luring a sexual predator to a location and subsequently physically assaulting him or calling the police."Police interviewed another student who made a reference to the pedophile-catching reality show “To Catch a Predator,” hosted by Chris Hansen.Randall — another charged student — allegedly informed police that the group was attempting to mimic the TikTok social media trend that recreates the premise of the show, but "this got out of hand and went bad."The six students are "directly responsible for the intentional and systematic mistreatment, false imprisonment, physical assault and battery, and potential character assassination” of the alleged victim, police said.Assumption University released a statement that called the students' alleged behavior "abhorrent and antithetical to Assumption University's mission and values.""This incident highlights the very real harm that social media can inflict when it promotes dangerous and irresponsible behavior," the university also said.The students are scheduled for a Jan. 16 arraignment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Students at a Catholic college in Massachusetts used a popular dating app to lure a man to the campus for a "To Catch a Predator" TikTok social media trend, according to police. A mob of as many as 30 beat up the victim, court documents say.
Five students from Assumption University were arrested and hit with charges related to the alleged assault.
'This got out of hand and went bad.'
Joaquin Smith, Isabella Trudeau, Kevin Carroll, Kelsy Brainard, and Easton Randall each were charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Carroll also faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Brainard was hit with an additional charge of witness intimidation.
Brainard — an 18-year-old student at the school — befriended a 22-year-old man on the Tinder dating app. Police said conversations became sexual, and Brainard invited the unnamed man to the Assumption campus, according to WCVB-TV.
On Oct. 1, the man arrived at the campus to meet Brainard.
Surveillance video shows Brainard letting the man into Alumni Hall — the video shows him running out minutes later, according to charging documents. The alleged victim was reportedly seen on video fleeing from a mob of students chasing him with their phones out and recording the incident.
“It appears that the group chasing (the alleged victim) was staged and/or awaiting his arrival,” police said, according to Boston.com. “A few minutes later, you see the group coming back in, laughing and high-fiving with each other; Ms. Brainard is included in the group.”
Between 25 to 30 people people “came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile and accusing that he liked having sex with 17-year-old girls,” according to the police report filed in Worcester District Court.
"The subject reported that he was able to break free and ran up the stairs being chased by the group of 25 or more," police said.
The man fled to his car, but the mob caught up to him and allegedly punched him and kicked him and repeatedly slammed the driver's side door on his head.
The Worcester Police Department later received a report from the alleged victim who said he was on campus to meet a girl and was subsequently attacked by a "mob."
Brainard initially told police that a “creepy” guy came to campus uninvited, and she told a resident assistant that the man was looking to meet an underage girl, according to police.
Officers said they reviewed the conversations on the Tinder dating app and showed no evidence that the man was looking to meet underage girls.
'The goal of the Tinder invite was to simulate the TikTok fad of luring a sexual predator to a location and subsequently physically assaulting him or calling the police.'
Campus surveillance video shows Brainard leading the man to a basement lounge and then watching TV with him, court documents say.
Investigators said Brainard can be seen on video laughing and smiling and "does not appear to be in fear or even slightly uncomfortable" when the victim arrived at the hall.
"Upon obtaining [video] footage it is determined that the report filed by Ms. Brainard was false and fabricated and her victimization was fraudulently reported to mislead police in believing a sexual predator was on campus to conceal that the subject was lured to campus to be caught as a sexual predator by a group of students lacking legal authority to do so," according to the police report.
Police added, "The goal of the Tinder invite was to simulate the TikTok fad of luring a sexual predator to a location and subsequently physically assaulting him or calling the police."
Police interviewed another student who made a reference to the pedophile-catching reality show “To Catch a Predator,” hosted by Chris Hansen.
Randall — another charged student — allegedly informed police that the group was attempting to mimic the TikTok social media trend that recreates the premise of the show, but "this got out of hand and went bad."
The six students are "directly responsible for the intentional and systematic mistreatment, false imprisonment, physical assault and battery, and potential character assassination” of the alleged victim, police said.
Assumption University released a statement that called the students' alleged behavior "abhorrent and antithetical to Assumption University's mission and values."
"This incident highlights the very real harm that social media can inflict when it promotes dangerous and irresponsible behavior," the university also said.
The students are scheduled for a Jan. 16 arraignment.
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