College students ambush soldier as part of “To catch a predator” TikTok trend

A disturbing incident involving an active-duty soldier has led to the criminal charges against a group of college students at Assumption University in Massachusetts. The event that took place on campus was purportedly caused by a risky TikTok social media fad that was sparked by the TV show “To Catch a Predator.”

The soldier, who wishes to remain anonymous, met 17-year-old Kelsey Brainard on the dating app Tinder while he was in Worcester, Massachusetts, attending his grandmother’s funeral. According to the Army Times, Brainard invited the soldier to meet her on campus after falsifying her age on her profile to be 18.

However, the soldier encountered a terrifying ambush when he arrived. Suddenly, a crowd of people, including Brainard, appeared and started harassing him while accusing him of being a pedophile.

The soldier described a harrowing experience in which he was physically restrained and then chased by a group of at least twenty-five people. Despite being attacked during the pursuit, he was able to flee in his car.

The soldier’s story was supported by surveillance footage from the campus. As they recorded the event on their cell phones, it showed Brainard escorting the soldier into a basement lounge and then the tumultuous scene of the group chasing him.

On January 16, Kelsey Brainard, along with classmates Kevin Carroll, Isabella Trudeau, Joaquin Smith, and Easton Randall, will appear in court on serious charges of kidnapping and conspiracy. This incident is a clear reminder of the risks involved in following negative social media trends and the dire repercussions that can result from doing so.