DoorDash Driver Acquitted in YouTube Prankster Shooting Case, Faces Lesser Gun Charge
In a dramatic courtroom showdown, a DoorDash delivery driver has been acquitted of malicious wounding but remains incarcerated after being found guilty of a lesser gun charge. The incident in question unfolded when Tanner Cook, a 21-year-old YouTuber who goes by the moniker “Classified Goons,” found himself on the wrong end of a gunshot while attempting a prank on 31-year-old Alan Colie, a resident of Leesburg, Virginia. The stage was the bustling Dulles Center Mall near Washington, D.C.
Jurors were presented with video evidence of the confrontation, capturing Cook, a towering figure at 6 feet, 5 inches, pointing a phone at Colie’s face and taunting him with the words, “Hey dips—, quit thinking about my twinkle.”
Prank Gone Wrong
Colie, reasonably alarmed by this unwelcome intrusion, implored Cook to cease and cautiously retreated. Despite these warnings, Cook persisted in following him. In a moment of escalating tension, the delivery driver resorted to pulling out a firearm and firing a shot into Cook’s chest.
Colie maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, asserting that he had acted in self-defense. While the jury partially concurred with this argument, acquitting him of the more severe charges of aggravated malicious wounding and malicious shooting within an occupied building, they did find him guilty of employing a firearm during the commission of a felony.
A Prolonged Legal Battle
Consequently, Colie remains detained pending a potential legal motion. His defense contends that this lesser conviction runs counter to Virginia law, given the jury’s determination that he acted without malice and in self-defense. A future court date on October 19 will address this ongoing legal dispute.
YouTube Prankster Unaware of Consequences
Tanner Cook, the YouTube prankster at the center of the incident, professed his lack of awareness regarding the fear and anger he had provoked in Alan Colie. In the courtroom, he testified that he had no inkling of the man’s emotional state.
YouTube Stardom and Legal Entanglements
Cook’s YouTube channel features video content from the shooting’s aftermath, enticing his 55,000 followers with the headline “I Got Shot!” In another video, Cook simulated falling asleep while standing in a Volkswagen dealership, resulting in an employee’s suspicion that he might be “under the influence.”
Cook’s YouTube repertoire includes numerous videos of him playfully trailing people through public places, ranging from stores to car dealerships and malls, where he occasionally engages in bizarre antics. Despite the legal turmoil, he continues to produce content and claims to earn between $2,000 and $3,000 monthly from his YouTube endeavors.
Please note that Fox News’ Adam Sabes and The Associated Press contributed to this report.