In a shocking turn of events, a 21-year-old YouTube prankster’s stunt took a dangerous and unforeseen twist when a delivery driver he was targeting pulled out a firearm and shot him in the chest. The incident unfolded at the Dulles Town Center mall in Sterling, Virginia, on April 2, leaving viewers stunned and sparking a debate about personal responsibility and the consequences of online pranks.
Tanner Cook, the 21-year-old behind the controversial YouTube channel, “Classified Goons,” decided to harass Alan Colie, a delivery driver, as he went about his business. Cook’s antics involved thrusting his phone in Colie’s face while playing a bizarre phrase, ‘Hey dips**t, quit thinking about my twinkle,’ multiple times using a Google Translate app.
In the video footage captured that day, Colie can be seen reacting with patience initially, telling Cook to stop three times as he backed away. However, as Cook continued to advance towards him, tensions escalated rapidly.
The situation took a terrifying turn when Colie resorted to self-defense, pulling out a firearm and shooting Cook in the lower left chest. The incident sent shockwaves through the mall, leading shoppers to flee in fear of a potential mass shooting. Police officers arrived on the scene, arresting Colie, who was subsequently charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm inside a building.
The legal battle that ensued was nothing short of dramatic. Last week, Colie, who possessed a concealed carry permit, was found not guilty of aggravated malicious wounding but was convicted on a lesser charge of shooting into an occupied dwelling. However, his lawyer immediately appealed this conviction, and a judge will consider setting it aside at a hearing scheduled for next month. If found guilty of the lesser firearms count, Colie faces up to ten years in prison.
Colie’s defense attorneys argued that he felt genuinely menaced by Cook, who stood at a towering 6 feet 4 inches. They contended that Cook’s provocative behavior was designed to provoke reactions for his YouTube channel and did not take into account the fear and anger he could elicit in others. Cook’s “Classified Goons” channel, boasting over 50,000 subscribers, is infamous for its controversial stunts, which include pranks on Uber drivers and unsuspecting shoppers.
Cook’s life hung in the balance as he spent several days in intensive care following the shooting. During the trial, he maintained that he had no inkling that he had scared or angered Colie during the prank, despite Colie’s repeated requests to stop. Cook claimed that his objective was not to induce fear or anger but to confuse the targets for the amusement of his online audience.
Prosecutor Eden Holmes argued that the facts of the case did not support a self-defense argument. She emphasized that the law required Colie to reasonably fear imminent bodily harm and use no more force than necessary. According to Holmes, while Cook’s prank was bizarre, it was not threatening in nature.
Despite the legal wrangling, the incident raises questions about the responsibility that content creators hold when their pranks escalate into dangerous territory. It also highlights the importance of recognizing the potential consequences of one’s actions, especially in a society where online fame can come at a high cost.
As the trial continues, the nation watches closely, grappling with the boundaries of humor and personal responsibility in an increasingly digital world.
