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Tanner Cook: Video shows moment YouTuber, 21, was shot by man on whom he was trying to pull a prank

Alan Colie, the suspect in the shooting was arrested but a jury declared him not guilty regarding the charge of aggravated malicious wounding Cook

Update: A jury reached a verdict of not guilty for 31-year-old Alan Colie regarding the charge of aggravated malicious wounding of 21-year-old YouTuber Tanner Cook on Thursday, Sept 28.

In the hearing, a video was also presented depicting the moment Cook was shot at by Colie. 

The video shows Colie avoiding Cook, then asking Cook to cease his actions thrice, and attempting to push Cook's cellphone away from his face. After approximately 20 seconds, Colie drew a firearm and discharged it, injuring the YouTuber.

A video of the same incident is viral on X.

So the trial was divided on two lesser charges related to firearms, ultimately convicting Colie on one count while acquitting him on the other.

While prosecutors told the jury Colie took a gun to a cellphone fight, but the jury sided with Colie’s self-defense claim.

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STERLING, VIRGINIA: A 21-year-old YouTuber has been admitted to ICU after he was shot while creating content for his channel. Tanner Cook was at the Dulles Town Center Mall in Sterling, Virginia, when the incident occurred on Sunday, April 2.

It has been reported that Cook's video content features practical jokes played on random people in public places. According to WUSA9, Sheriff Mike Chapman reported that the shooting happened after a fight broke out in the food court between two men, even though the exact nature of the prank remains unclear.

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Why was Cook shot?

Cook was reportedly shot in the stomach by a man on whom he was attempting to play a joke on. Cook underwent emergency surgery, as a bullet punctured his stomach and his liver and fortunately, he is expected to make full recovery.

The shooter has been arrested

Alan Colie, the suspect in the shooting has been arrested and is since charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building. A man caught the moment when he was arrested on his camera. Colie had his arraignment trial on April 3 where he was assigned a public defender.

Cook's family has spoken out after he narrowly escaped his death. His father, Jeremy said, "They were making a video at the mall and trying to have fun with people and this guy wasn't having fun." He continued, "There was a phone that was around him and they were interviewing or talking to him, and he didn't like it and he pulled out his gun and shot my son. Cook's family said they want to ensure that Colie knows they don't hold any ill will or resentment toward him.

Fake shooting threat

MEAWW previously reported that a group of Florida high school students was slapped with felony charges and possible expulsions following an incident of a school shooting prank. The police called the entire episode a ‘cruel’ prank. According to the authorities, the footage shows scared Mainland High School students rushing to hide and escape possible gunshots. 

Daytona Police Department said such incidents have become a "common occurrence". Giving details on the development, the authorities wrote on a Facebook post that students had scrawled a promise to shoot up Mainland High School on a bathroom wall. “The following day, two separate groups of students plotted to 'capitalize' on the unease created by the message by staging a shooting," the officials said.