YouTube prank trial: Delivery driver found not guilty of shooting Tanner Cook | Unseen viral video
YouTube prank gone awry has led to a court trial, where a Door Dash delivery driver was found not guilty of aggravated malicious wounding.
The Prank That Escalated
In April, Tanner Cook, a 21-year-old YouTube prankster known for his Classified Goons channel, was shot by Alan Colie, a 31-year-old Door Dash delivery driver, in a Washington, Virginia shopping center.
The incident unfolded in the food court of the Dulles Towne Center mall. Cook harassed Colie, who was picking up a food order, by following him around while playing peculiar audio from his phone. The audio, repeated through a Google Translate app, included the phrase, «Hey dips—t, quit thinking about my twinkle.»
https://twitter.com/DKaplanFox5DC/status/1707856453241823245
Provocation and Self-Defense Claims
Colie repeatedly told Cook to stop and attempted to knock the phone away from his face. However, when Cook persisted, Colie resorted to pulling out a gun and shooting him in the lower left chest.
The gunshot prompted panic among shoppers, who believed a mass shooting was unfolding.
During the trial, Colie claimed self-defense. His defense lawyer, Adam Pouilliard, argued that Cook's behavior, designed to provoke reactions for his YouTube channel, was menacing. Pouilliard asserted that Cook's pranks were meant to confuse people into generating views and weren't concerned with scaring people.
Not Guilty Verdict and Reaction
The jury ultimately found Colie not guilty of aggravated malicious wounding, supporting his claim of self-defense. Social media also rallied behind Colie, who possessed a concealed carry license, criticizing Cook for harassing a stranger.
Prosecutor Eden Holmes contended that the shooting did not meet the criteria for self-defense,
