Five students from Assumption University in Massachusetts are facing serious charges after they allegedly lured a man to their campus and attacked him, as part of a disturbing TikTok trend called “To Catch a Predator.” This trend involves setting up situations where people are tricked into thinking they are meeting a sexual predator, followed by a confrontation or assault.
The incident took place on October 1, 2023, at the university’s Worcester campus. The five students, all aged 18 and 19, have been charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, witness intimidation, and assault. The victim, who was brought to the campus using the Tinder dating app, was accused by the group of being a sexual predator. They filmed the confrontation and allegedly chased the man around campus, continuing to assault him after he tried to escape.
According to court documents, the group gathered in a lounge area of the campus and ambushed the man, falsely accusing him of being interested in a 17-year-old girl. The victim managed to flee and contacted the police, but the group continued to pursue him. They were reportedly laughing and high-fiving after the attack. The victim later told police that he was only on campus to meet new people after attending his grandmother’s funeral.
One of the defendants explained to the police that the incident was inspired by “Chris Hansen videos,” where men are confronted for attempting to meet underage girls. These videos are from the popular reality TV show where predator suspects are caught on camera and then arrested. The defendant admitted that they tried to recreate the scenario, but things “went bad.”
Police discovered that the group’s claim that the man was a predator was entirely false. The victim had not committed any crimes, and there was no evidence supporting the allegations. The students involved appear to have misunderstood the trend, taking it to dangerous extremes without understanding the legal and moral consequences of their actions.
These charges highlight the dangers of online trends and the consequences of taking matters into your own hands in a misguided attempt to seek justice.
