An 18-year-old in Ellisville, Missouri is facing first-degree assault and discrimination-motivated property damage charges after police say he used a dating app to lure a man to a park and ambush him. According to charging documents, the victim arrived at Bluebird Park around 2:20 a.m. on October 21 to meet someone he knew as “Adam.” Instead, prosecutors say Abdulwareth A. Alahmad told him “I actually hate gay people” as four men emerged from nearby bushes and attacked him with punches, kicks, and slurs while demanding his belongings.
The victim escaped to his car and drove to the Ellisville Police Department. His iPhone 16 was later found smashed at the park. Detectives built their case on surveillance video, Flock camera footage, and a photo lineup, and Alahmad was arrested and charged. The case is still moving through the legal process, and more details may come out as it proceeds.
For those of us here on the Suncoast, this story lands close to home. Plenty of people in our beach communities use dating apps, and meeting a stranger for the first time always carries risk. Meet in a public place, tell a friend where you’ll be, drive yourself, and don’t let anyone push you somewhere that feels wrong. What’s your number one rule for meeting someone from an app? Let us know on our Facebook page.
