In an incident at Assumption University in Massachusetts, what began as a social media-inspired vigilante attempt went terribly wrong when six college students orchestrated an attack on a 22-year-old active-duty service member.
The students, allegedly inspired by TikTok trends and the former NBC show “To Catch a Predator,” targeted the serviceman after he connected with student Kelsy Brainard, 18, on Tinder. According to police documents, while Brainard’s profile clearly stated she was 18, the group falsely accused the target of seeking underage contact.
“This got out of hand and went bad,” admitted Easton Randall, 19, one of the accused students, to campus authorities. Randall explained that “Catch a predator is a big thing on TikTok currently.”
The incident unfolded on October 1 when the serviceman, who was home attending his grandmother’s funeral, arrived on campus after being invited by Brainard to meet at the alumni hall. Upon arrival, he was confronted by what authorities described as a “mob” of 25 to 30 people, who surrounded him while recording on their phones.
Security footage confirmed the victim’s account of being physically restrained, pursued across campus, and assaulted, including having his car door slammed on his head. The group was captured on video high-fiving each other following the incident.
Assumption University President Greg Weiner condemned the actions, stating, “This situation is particularly sobering because the victim is an active-duty military service member. His service reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who defend our freedoms, including the opportunity to pursue a college education.”
Five students face charges of kidnapping and conspiracy, with additional charges for some individuals. Kevin Carroll, 18, faces assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charges, while Brainard faces intimidation charges.
The incident follows a similar case in Mount Prospect, Illinois, where eleven teens were charged in connection with a comparable social media-inspired incident, prompting local Police Chief Michael Eterno to urge parents to discuss “the seriousness of actively participating in these types of trends they see on social media” with their children.
According to campus police, there was “absolutely” no evidence supporting the students’ accusations against the serviceman, who had believed he was meeting an 18-year-old based on the Tinder profile information.
