This is the shocking moment a 21-year-old YouTuber prankster’s stunt went completely wrong when a delivery driver he had his sights on pulled out a gun and shot him in the chest.
The video shows Tanner Cook, 21, who runs the YouTube channel Classified Goons, harassing Alan Colie as he picked up a food order at the Dulles Town Center mall in Sterling, Virginia, on April 2.
Cook is seen following Colie around the mall while holding his phone in his face as it plays the bizarre phrase “Hey Dips**t, stop thinking about my sparkle” multiple times using a Google Translate app .
Colie backs away from Cook and tells him to stop three times before attempting to slap the phone off his face as the YouTuber continues to advance towards him.
That’s when Colie’s stunt went completely wrong when the delivery driver pulled out a gun and shot the YouTuber in the lower left chest.
DULLES MALL YOUTUBE PRANKSTER SHOOT#Fox5DC Gets a never-before-seen video of the interaction between Alan Colie and Tanner Cook on 4/2.
Colie: Not guilty of the most serious charges according to the lawyer’s self-defense arguments.
Cook’s father told me his son posed no threat.#StayAhead pic.twitter.com/h8LwERdutq
— David Kaplan (@DKaplanFox5DC) September 29, 2023
The video shows Tanner Cook, 21, who runs the YouTube channel Classified Goons, harassing Alan Colie as he picked up a food order at the Dulles Town Center mall in Sterling, Virginia, on April 2
That’s when Colie’s stunt went completely wrong when the delivery driver pulled out a gun and shot the YouTuber in the lower left chest
Cook (pictured in hospital) fought for his life after the shooting and spent several days in intensive care after the bullet pierced his stomach and liver
The shooting sparked panic as shoppers fled what they feared was a mass shooting as police officers pinned Colie to the ground and arrested him. He was charged with aggravated assault with intent, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm in a building.
But last week Colie, who has a license to carry a concealed weapon, was found not guilty of aggravated assault in the shooting after he said he acted in self-defense.
Colie’s defense attorney, Adam Pouilliard, said his client felt threatened by the 6-foot-3 Cook during the confrontation, which was intended to provoke a reaction and attract viewers to his YouTube channel.
The attorney said Cook is “trying to confuse people by posting videos.” He’s not worried he’s scaring people. He does this again and again.’
Cook fought for his life after the shooting and spent several days in the intensive care unit after the bullet pierced his stomach and liver.
Prosecutor Eden Holmes had said during the trial that the facts did not support a self-defense argument.
The law requires that Colie reasonably fear that he is in imminent danger of bodily harm and that he not use more force than necessary. She said Cook’s prank was bizarre but not threatening.
Colie was pinned to the ground and arrested. He was charged with aggravated assault with intent, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm in a building
The shooting sparked panic as shoppers fled what they feared was a mass shooting as police officers pinned Colie to the ground and arrested him
Delivery driver Alan Colie (pictured), 31, has been acquitted of shooting a YouTube prankster who followed him around a Virginia mall with a camera close to his face to provoke a reaction
“They played a silly phrase on the phone,” she said. “How could the defendant determine that he had a reasonable fear of imminent bodily harm?”
Colie testified in his own defense about the fear caused by Cook’s prank.
Pouilliard said during closing arguments that Colie was aware of the dangers delivery drivers can face when interacting with the public and that he had a license to carry a concealed weapon.
Despite all the events that sparked the shooting, Cook’s father, Jeramy Cook, said the incident was shocking and unnecessary.
“They were filming a video at the mall trying to have fun with people and this guy wasn’t having fun,” he said.
“There was a phone around him and they were interviewing him or talking to him and he didn’t like that and he pulled out his gun and shot my son.”
Jeramy Cook emphasized that his family’s faith in God will help them through this difficult time.
“We need restoration, we need healing and we need to come together.”
“I pray for this young man and pray that he finds God in this.” I believe that God saved our son’s life and he could have easily died, but that is not the result. “God has plans for my son,” he said, noting he harbors no ill will toward Colie.
The jury initially disagreed as to whether the defendant had acted in self-defense, but returned their verdicts at the end of court. Collie was found not guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent, but was convicted of a lesser firearm count.
Cook, pictured in one of his prank videos, insisted the incident would not stop him from continuing to make videos and has since posted three videos
Colie’s defense attorney, Adam Pouilliard, said the conviction on the firearms charge was inconsistent with the law because Colie was acquitted on self-defense grounds.
He asked the judge to overturn the conviction. A judge will hear arguments on the issue at a hearing next month.
Colie, who has been in custody since his arrest in April, will remain in custody.
Cook’s “Classified Goons” channel, which has more than 50,000 subscribers, is known for his controversial stunts, including tricking Uber drivers into vomiting and following unsuspecting customers around department stores.
He spoke from his hospital bed at the time of the incident and said he was just playing a joke on Colie.
“I was pranking and making a simple joke and this guy didn’t take it very well,” he told WUSA9.
Cook also insisted that the incident would not stop him from continuing to make videos and has since posted three videos.
At a preliminary hearing, sheriff’s deputies testified that they knew Cook well and had received calls about previous stunts.
Cook said he continues to make videos that earn him $2,000 to $3,000 a month.