WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP) – Six students at Assumption University in Massachusetts appeared in court Thursday to face charges in a connection with an alleged plot to lure a man to their campus and then seize him as part of a “catch a predator” trend on social media. The students were arraigned on conspiracy and kidnapping charges, after allegedly ambushing the man upon arrival and trying to hold him against his will. The victim, a 22-year-old active-duty military service member, later told authorities that he was punched when he ran away. Police, citing Tinder messages between the victim and one of the students, have since determined that victim was not looking to meet underage girls, but rather that he believed he had arranged to meet with an 18-year-old woman. FDA will allow Zyn nicotine pouches to stay on the market Nexstar's WWLP obtained court documents which show that Assumption University Police reviewed an October incident of assault and battery reported by Kelsy Brainard, a student at the school. In the statement of facts from Worcester District Court, it was written that Brainard said a man on the school's campus was making her feel creepy," so she texted a friend, Easton Randall, who then chased the man off campus. In the report, Brainard claimed she did not solicit contact with the man on Tinder and he came to the campus on October 1st at around 10:30 p.m. uninvited. University officers were not able locate the man on campus early the next day. Worcester police, however, had said they were contacted by a man requiring assistance with an incident that happened at Assumption University around the same time. The man, who WWLP can identify as the victim, told police that he was in the area to attend his grandmother’s funeral and “just wanted to be around people that were happy,” according to a campus police report.  The victim alleged he was in contact with Brainard on Tinder, and that she invited him to the campus. Once at the school, he claimed he was led into a building by Brainard before he was ambushed by a group of people, according to the report. He further alleged that these people called him a pedophile and accused him of seeking out 17-year-old girls for sex. The group allegedly grabbed him to prevent him from leaving, but he was able to break free and run, being chased by approximately 25 people. He told police that he was chased to his car, punched in the back of his head, and that the group kicked his vehicle. The victim called the police after leaving campus, according to the report. Campus video confirms Brainard led the victim into the building, and that the victim was seen a short time later running from a group of students, including Brainard, who were chasing and holding their phones, apparently recording, the report said. The footage, police said, indicated that the group had staged an alleged plot to falsely accuse the victim. The incident "does not appear to be a random occurrence but a deliberately staged event," the Worcester police report reads. In the court documents, Worcester police said they believed the initial report filed by Brainard was an attempt to falsely lead police to believe a sexual predator was on campus. A review of Brainard's Tinder profile, which indicated that she was 18 years old, had messages between her and the victim that police believe showed no indication that the victim was looking for underage girls to meet. Kelsy Brainard appears district court as she and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)Easton Randall appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)Joaquin Smith appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)Kevin Carroll appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)Isabella Trudeau appears at district court as she and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) The report also indicated that Randall, one of the students, told officers they were inspired by the “catch a predator” trend, which he said “is big on TikTok” at the moment. He said their group shared ideas of what to tell the man through the Tinder app to lure him to campus, and then spread word through a dormitory chat group that a “predator” was in the building, the report said. Police identified Kelsy Brainard, Kevin Carroll, Easton Randall, Isabella Trudeau, Joaquin Smith, and a juvenile as the group of Assumption University students involved in the plot. Kelsy Brainard, an 18-year-old from Holyoke, Mass., was charged with kidnapping, witness intimidation, and conspiracy. Kevin Carroll, an 18-year-old from Holden, Mass., was charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Easton Randall, a 20-year-old from Jericho, Vermont, was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Isabella Trudeau, an 18-year-old from Sterling, Mass., was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Joaquin Smith, a 19-year-old from West Haven, Conn., was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Juvenile, identity and charges not released due to their age. The person described by the victim who hit him in the head was identified as a juvenile who is known to police. Another person, who allegedly slammed the victim's head into a door, was identified as Kevin Carroll. Mud, debris slide splits hillside home that survived Palisades Fire in half Before leaving court, where cameras were turned on them, the teens were ordered to have no contact with the targeted man. A lawyer for Brainard, Christopher Todd, said, “We’re just looking forward to having the process play out.” The lawyer for Trudeau, Robert Iacovelli, said afterward that she's innocent. He filed a motion seeking dismissal of the charges against her, saying authorities lack probable cause to believe she committed a crime. The Associated Press contributed to this report.