Six Assumption University students from Massachusetts are facing accusations of using Tinder to lure a man to campus and assaulting him as part of a trend inspired by the show “To Catch a Predator” on TikTok, according to police. The students, charged with kidnapping and conspiracy, allegedly surrounded the man in a lounge area, accused him of inappropriate behavior, and chased him to his car where he was physically assaulted. Five of the students involved have been identified, with one student under 18 not named. The incident, captured on surveillance footage, showed the group laughing and celebrating after the chase. The students are set to appear in court for arraignment, with charges including assault and battery with a deadly weapon. The university has yet to comment on the situation.
The court document declared the story as “false and fabricated.” According to police, in the video footage, Brainard was seen laughing and smiling during the encounter with the man, showing no signs of fear or discomfort. Police further stated that the Tinder messages exchanged between the man and Brainard did not suggest any intention of meeting underage girls. The man believed he was meeting an 18-year-old girl on a college campus, using the Tinder app for its intended purpose of initiating a hookup.
In response to the situation, Assumption University’s campus police were informed of a disturbance at the school’s alumni hall on October 2, 2024, regarding a report of assault and battery. University President Greg Weiner, in a statement to USA TODAY, condemned the behavior described in the court filing as “abhorrent and antithetical to Assumption University’s mission and values.” Weiner emphasized the university’s expectations for students to exercise sound judgment and uphold principles of respect, responsibility, and character within the community. Following the incident, the Department of Public Safety promptly initiated a thorough investigation, resulting in charges being filed against six students by Campus Police.
Gregory Weiner serves as the president of Assumption University as of Tuesday, November 15, 2022.
The ‘catch a predator’ trend stems from the well-known reality TV series “To Catch a Predator,” featuring journalist Chris Hansen. The show, which aired on NBC, centered around men arriving at a sting house with intentions to engage in sexual activities with minors. Typically, the men were confronted at the homes by Hansen and law enforcement and subsequently apprehended.
In a recent incident in Illinois, 11 teenage boys were arrested and faced multiple felony charges for allegedly using an online dating app to lure unsuspecting men to meetups where they were attacked, stated Mount Prospect police. The boys reportedly drew inspiration for their actions from a viral social media trend they had come across online.
Mount Prospect Police Chief Michael Eterno urged parents to use these occurrences as an opportunity to engage in discussions with their teenage children about the serious implications of participating in such trends seen on social media platforms.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY regarding the ‘Catch a predator’ trend that led to the charging of six Massachusetts college students.
