yes, the arrest was ridiculous. The 'invitations' demonstrate a stupidity on another level.

However, the kid 'invented a clock' deliberately designed to look like an improvised explosive device * - in his own words he stated that he had done things to make it less suspicious (I'll try and find the video, but I believe it was taken down). It was a deliberate attempts to goad an overreaction to a stupid stunt. It was successful in doing so.

* since most people have never seen a real life improvised explosive device, it doesn't matter that it could be used as such. It looks like one to the average person, less actual explosive materiel.

In a similar vein, considering the black guy who shot and killed co-workers (on camera) simply because he saw racism where none existed: this stunt plays into that. While it may not have been the goal of this none-too-bright kid, the so-called adults in our society created the racial narrative.