Six college students in Massachusetts were accused of luring an active duty service member to their campus under false pretenses, leading to a mob chasing and assaulting him. One of the students claimed the plot was inspired by a TikTok trend modeled after the TV show “To Catch a Predator.” The incident, similar to one involving eleven teens in Illinois, highlighted the dangers of viral social media trends. Assumption University, where the students attended, found no evidence that the victim was seeking sex with a minor.
The students involved were charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, assault, and intimidation. The university’s president condemned the behavior as “abhorrent” and emphasized the importance of upholding community values. The victim, an active-duty military service member, stated that he was misled and attacked by a group of students who falsely accused him of being a predator. The victim’s father praised authorities for their investigation.
The incident began with a Tinder message exchange between one of the students and the victim, leading to the orchestrated luring of the victim to campus. The victim was confronted by a mob, physically assaulted, and had his car door slammed on him before he managed to escape and call the police. Campus security video confirmed the victim’s account. The situation escalated due to the students using an alumni group chat to gather participants for the event.
The student who admitted to orchestrating the plot acknowledged that it went too far. The incident drew comparisons to the controversial TV show “To Catch a Predator,” which led to legal issues for the network involved. The case highlighted the dangers of social media trends and the importance of maintaining ethical behavior within college communities.
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