A weeklong search in Oregon for a suspect who kidnapped and beat a woman unconscious, and used dating apps while on the run to potentially target more victims, has raised questions about the online platforms and how they filter — if at all — domestic abusers and criminals.
The manhunt for Benjamin Obadiah Foster, wanted in connection with a Jan. 24 kidnapping, culminated Tuesday with the suspect in custody after an hourslong standoff. He later died at a hospital from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Grants Pass police spokesperson Jeff Hattersley told CBS affiliate KTVL of Medford. NBC News was not immediately able to confirm that development.
Police said that in the days he was at large, he was actively using online dating apps to “contact unsuspecting individuals” he may have lured into assisting him with his escape or “potentially as additional victims.”
Foster was able to make a dating profile despite having a domestic violence case in 2017 and another in 2019 in which he held his then-girlfriend captive for two weeks in her Las Vegas apartment, tied her up and forced her to eat lye.
Can criminals use dating apps?
Police haven’t said which apps Foster was using, but popular platforms had been trying to find his profile.
Hattersley said it’s likely Foster was on the apps looking for assistance in eluding law enforcement.
“His past crimes lead us to believe he enters into dating relationships based on charisma and looks and then becomes controlling and violent,” he said.
Bumble, Coffee Meets Bagel and Match Group, the parent company of Match, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish, said that from what they could tell using public information, Foster was not on their platforms.
Officials at Bumble said that when they become aware of a media report about a person of concern, “we proactively work to identify if the member is within our community and take swift action against their account.”
While it’s possible Foster may have used a false…
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