Man attacked by college students who falsely accused him of being predator

A group of Assumption University students in Worcester, Massachusetts, is accused of kidnapping and assaulting a man during a scheme stemming from a TikTok trend inspired by "To Catch a Predator"

Campus investigators said the social media trend involves luring supposed child predators and confronting them.

Police said five students and an unidentified male juvenile used dating app Tinder and conspired to lure the man to campus the night of Oct. 1, meet a teenage girl, and capture it on video.

When he showed up, a mob beat him up, even though police said he did nothing wrong.

"It's crazy, it really is crazy," said Assumption University student Tiger An.

An was in disbelief after learning that the TikTok trend would lead a group of schoolmates from to be charged with kidnapping.

"You see on social media all the time, but you would never expect it to happen, you know, right next to you right in your own school," he said.

University police named the five students as 18-year-old Kevin Carroll of Holden, 18-year-old Isabella Trudeau of Sterling, 18-year-old Kelsy Brainard of Holyoke, 19-year-old Easton Randall of Jericho, Vermont, and 18-year-old Joaqin Smith of West Haven, Connecticut.

The mission was to catch a predator — just like the TV show — but investigators said it went sideways an turned violent.

Court documents state the man arranged to meet with a woman listed as an 18-year-old online, but when he arrived, he was met with a mob of about 30 students who were allegedly recruited by the five defendants by telling the group the man had intended to meet with a minor.

That mob reportedly chased after the man and assaulted him as he got back into his car and drove away.

Police say they questioned the students and found inconsistencies with their statements.

"It's a very dangerous trend and it really should be left to the professionals to do this," said Emerson College public relations professor David Gerzof Richard.

He believes true crime fads and social media have become a bad mix.

"This is the big challenge with the internet as a whole, is the ability for anyone to anonymize themselves and assume any sort of responsibility, even if they don't have it," he said.

NBC10 Boston tried contacting the accused students -- some at their registered address, others by phone, and the one listed attorney for Carroll -- but has not received a response.

"In all circumstances we expect our students to exercise sound judgment and uphold the principles of respect, responsibility, and dignity that define our community," Assumption University said in a statement. "Our public safety team, in concert with other university departments, commenced an immediate and thorough investigation."

The victim reportedly told police he was in town for his grandmother's funeral and was wanting to meet up with "happy people."

The private Catholic school would not say what disciplinary action it may take, if any, against the students.

All five defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 16.