A YouTuber from Virginia ended up in the hospital with gunshot wounds after he tried to prank a man in a local mall food court.The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office receivedreports of shots firedat the Dulles Town Center in Sterling, Virginia, just before noon local time on Sunday, police said in a release. Officers were at the mall within three minutes and found a man who had been shot in the stomach. He was treated on the scene before being rushed to a local hospital.Alan W. Colie, 31, was arrested on Sunday and charged with “aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building,” said police. “The shooting resulted from an interaction between the victim and Colie in the food court.“Colie isscheduled to appear in courtWednesday morning. He has been assigned a public defender. It’s not clear who is representing him and can comment on his behalf.The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.Police did not identify the shooting victim in their release; however, court documents named him as Tanner Cook of theClassified GoonsYouTube channel, according to WUSA9, whospoke with the social media personalityfrom his hospital bed.“I was playing a prank and a simple practical joke, and this guy didn’t take it very well,” Tanner told the news station. “He didn’t say anything to me.“Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.LCSOTanner’s friend was getting footage of the prank and captured the moment Colie allegedly pulled out the gun. The video is included in evidence, Tanner’s family said, per WUSA9.The YouTuber’s father Jeramy Cook also spoke about the incident, telling the outlet, “They were making a video at the mall and trying to have fun with people and this guy wasn’t having fun. 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.“Tanner noted that his family is leaning on their faith in God to get through the incident, and Jeramy echoed a similar sentiment.“We need restoration, we need healing, and we need to come together,” Jeramy told WUSA9. “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’s not the outcome. God has plans for my son.“Tanner said he will keep on making videos.His grandfather, Mike Cook, also told the news station they refuse to be afraid.“It’s surreal,” he said. “It’s obviously been unnerving and some fear running in and out, but we live on faith and not fear.“Many shoppers were left “traumatized,” Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall told WUSA9.“I’ve heard from so many of my constituents and they’re traumatized. The victims are more than just people directly involved. People have secondary trauma from this and may never walk back into this mall again.”
A YouTuber from Virginia ended up in the hospital with gunshot wounds after he tried to prank a man in a local mall food court.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office receivedreports of shots firedat the Dulles Town Center in Sterling, Virginia, just before noon local time on Sunday, police said in a release. Officers were at the mall within three minutes and found a man who had been shot in the stomach. He was treated on the scene before being rushed to a local hospital.
Alan W. Colie, 31, was arrested on Sunday and charged with “aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building,” said police. “The shooting resulted from an interaction between the victim and Colie in the food court.”
Colie isscheduled to appear in courtWednesday morning. He has been assigned a public defender. It’s not clear who is representing him and can comment on his behalf.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Police did not identify the shooting victim in their release; however, court documents named him as Tanner Cook of theClassified GoonsYouTube channel, according to WUSA9, whospoke with the social media personalityfrom his hospital bed.
“I was playing a prank and a simple practical joke, and this guy didn’t take it very well,” Tanner told the news station. “He didn’t say anything to me.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
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Tanner’s friend was getting footage of the prank and captured the moment Colie allegedly pulled out the gun. The video is included in evidence, Tanner’s family said, per WUSA9.
The YouTuber’s father Jeramy Cook also spoke about the incident, telling the outlet, “They were making a video at the mall and trying to have fun with people and this guy wasn’t having fun. 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.”
Tanner noted that his family is leaning on their faith in God to get through the incident, and Jeramy echoed a similar sentiment.
“We need restoration, we need healing, and we need to come together,” Jeramy told WUSA9. “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’s not the outcome. God has plans for my son.”
Tanner said he will keep on making videos.
His grandfather, Mike Cook, also told the news station they refuse to be afraid.
“It’s surreal,” he said. “It’s obviously been unnerving and some fear running in and out, but we live on faith and not fear.”
Many shoppers were left “traumatized,” Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall told WUSA9.
“I’ve heard from so many of my constituents and they’re traumatized. The victims are more than just people directly involved. People have secondary trauma from this and may never walk back into this mall again.”
source: people.com
