I came across this news item this morning about one of the Capitol rioters being arrested after bragging to a potential match on Bumble that he was there and participated in the riot.
Capitol Rioter Andrew Taake's Boasts on Dating App Bumble Lead to Arrest
Apparently, he was the second Capitol rioter who was identified by Bumble and arrested.
Well, one thing is certain: By bragging about it, they won't be able to pull the "aww shucks, I'm sorry" routine in court.
But what is this human propensity to brag about one's actions, particularly those of an infamous or criminal nature? Especially online? I suppose the upside of it is that this is one of the ways a lot of criminals get caught, because they just have to brag about what they did to someone. It might be someone overhearing someone bragging in a bar, or perhaps a jailhouse confession. But now with the internet, people are confessing online.
I could be wrong, but my impression is that nobody really likes a braggart anyway, regardless of what they're bragging about. Like the character of Violet in Peanuts, always bragging about how her dad is a better bowler than Charlie Brown's dad, how her dad has a better job, bigger car, and so on.
Capitol Rioter Andrew Taake's Boasts on Dating App Bumble Lead to Arrest
Within days of their exchange, the unnamed Bumble user notified the FBI that Taake had participated in the riot by sending screenshots of their conversation and his location on January 6.
Following that tip, the FBI reviewed Taake's flight records and found that he had traveled from Houston to Washington on January 5. The FBI then located publicly posted videos and images showing Taake using pepper spray against police and later striking officers with what looked like a metal whip, according to court filings.
Taake was arrested in Texas on Friday and has been charged with several federal crimes, including felony assault on a police officer, civil disorder and obstruction of congressional proceedings. He has not yet entered a plea.
Apparently, he was the second Capitol rioter who was identified by Bumble and arrested.
Taake is now the second Capitol rioter to be identified by the police via Bumble. In April, a New York man was arrested and charged after he bragged to a match that he "did storm the capitol" and "made it all the way into Statuary Hall."
Well, one thing is certain: By bragging about it, they won't be able to pull the "aww shucks, I'm sorry" routine in court.
But what is this human propensity to brag about one's actions, particularly those of an infamous or criminal nature? Especially online? I suppose the upside of it is that this is one of the ways a lot of criminals get caught, because they just have to brag about what they did to someone. It might be someone overhearing someone bragging in a bar, or perhaps a jailhouse confession. But now with the internet, people are confessing online.
I could be wrong, but my impression is that nobody really likes a braggart anyway, regardless of what they're bragging about. Like the character of Violet in Peanuts, always bragging about how her dad is a better bowler than Charlie Brown's dad, how her dad has a better job, bigger car, and so on.