Five Catholic university students are charged after ‘luring soldier, 22, to beating in To Catch a Predator TikTok trend’

Students at a Massachusetts university are facing criminal charges after allegedly beating and kidnapping a 22-year-old soldier after luring him to campus as part of the TikTok trend “To Catch a Predator.”

One of the five accused students, 18-year-old Kelsy Brainard, reportedly met the man on Tinder and invited him to Assumption University on October 1 so they could “try to hook up.”

Unknowingly, the soldier – who wishes to remain anonymous – was about to fall victim to a TikTok recreation of To Catch a Predator, in which users attempt to recreate the popular television show that attempted to catch adult men trying to prey on underage girls online. meet.

Once he arrived at the $70,000-a-year Catholic university, he was surrounded by a group of 25 or more students. The New York Times reported.

They then started accusing the victim of being a pedophile and trying to have sex with 17-year-old girls.

The man told Assumption police that as he tried to flee back to his car, students filmed him on their cellphones and allegedly began punching him and slamming his head against the car door.

Security footage seen by police reportedly showed the group laughing and high-fiving as they left the scene.

After the attack, the unnamed man called police and Brainard also reported the victim to police by falsely claiming he had come to campus to meet underage girls.

Police were told the students were trying to recreate the hit NBC Dateline show “To Catch a Predator,” which featured undercover operations across America to catch men trying to sleep with underage children.

Since then, five students – Easton Randall, Kevin Carroll, Joaquin Smith, Isabella Trudeau and Brainard – have been charged with kidnapping and conspiracy on December 4. They have also been accused of orchestrating the “intentionally staged event.”

An unnamed minor is also charged, while Brainard is charged with witness intimidation and Carroll is charged with assault and battery after she allegedly admitted to slamming the victim’s head into the car door.

The incident allegedly started after Randall messaged a group chat telling his fellow students to “come over here, we’re catching a predator.”

The 19-year-old reportedly told police that the group was trying to emulate the hit NBC Dateline show “To Catch a Predator,” which featured undercover operations across America to catch men trying to sleep with underage children.

After investigating Brainard’s dating profile, police found no evidence that the 22-year-old victim was seeking a sexual relationship with an underage girl.

Police determined that Brainard’s report was “false and fabricated” and that “her victimization was fraudulently reported to mislead police into believing that a sexual predator was on campus to conceal the fact that the individual was going to the campus was lured,” according to court documents obtained by CBS News.

Assumption University students (pictured) are facing criminal charges after allegedly beating and kidnapping a 22-year-old soldier after luring him to campus as part of a ‘To Catch a Predator TikTok trend’

The victim told police he was in Worcester, Massachusetts for his grandmother’s funeral when he started talking to Brainard on the dating app.

In a statement, Assumption University said: “This incident highlights the very real harm that social media can inflict when it promotes dangerous and irresponsible behavior,” the statement read in part.

“While we cannot comment on the ongoing investigations into student conduct and associated disciplinary processes, Assumption University is committed to maintaining a campus environment in which every individual is treated with respect and dignity – including guests.

“We strongly condemn all forms of violence and misconduct, and we are committed to fostering a community where all individuals feel safe and supported.”