Tanner Cook, a 21-year-old YouTuber, was shot while filming a prank video at the Dulles Town Center in Virginia on Sunday. According to family members and Cook, he was shot in the stomach and liver and was admitted to the intensive care unit for treatment. After the shooting, the police arrested the suspect, Alan Colie, and charged him with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building.
Sheriff Mike Chapman said the shooting occurred during a fight in the mall food court between Cook and Colie. Cook reportedly approached Colie while a friend recorded video. It was supposed to be a light-hearted joke, but “this guy didn’t take it very well,” Cook said. Cook’s father, Jeramy Cook, added that Colie “pulled out his gun and shot my son” because he did not like being filmed.
Dulles Town Center was closed for the rest of the weekend after the shooting and reopened on Monday. Cook is part of the Classified Goons YouTube account, which has over 39,900 subscribers. Cook’s prank videos have tens of thousands of views, with the most popular having over 430,000. The YouTuber stated that he intends to continue making videos once he has recovered.
While it is important to acknowledge that Tanner Cook is an adult who should be aware of the potential risks of his prank videos, it is also important to consider the overall impact of his actions. Prank videos can be dangerous, not only for the person filming but also for innocent bystanders who may be affected by the pranks. With so many people carrying concealed weapons, these types of videos could lead to deadly consequences, as was, unfortunately, the case for Cook. While Cook’s intention may have been to create light-hearted content, the outcome of his actions serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of these types of videos.
