A 21-year-old YouTube content creator, Tanner Cook, was left critically injured after being shot during a prank video recording at Dulles Town Center mall in Virginia.
The incident took place in the food court, where Cook was filming a practical joke for his YouTube channel, Classified Goons. He sustained serious injuries to his stomach and liver and was admitted to the intensive care unit.
The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Alan Colie. After being arrested, he was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, firearm use in the commission of a felony, as well as discharging a firearm within a building.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office disclosed the victim’s identity, which was also confirmed by a Loudoun County General District Court judge during Colie’s arraignment.
According to Sheriff Mike Chapman, a fight broke out between Cook and Colie, leading to the shooting and widespread panic among mall visitors. A video recorded by an Instagram user captured Colie’s arrest.
Speaking to WUSA9 from his hospital bed after surgery, Cook explained that he was playing a prank on Colie when the latter allegedly pulled out a gun. Footage of the incident, recorded by Cook’s friend, is now part of the ongoing investigation.
Cook’s father, Jeramy Cook, described the shooting as shocking and unnecessary, stating that his son and friends were merely trying to have fun at the mall. Despite the incident, he emphasized the family’s reliance on faith and expressed no resentment towards Colie.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the mall was closed for a day before reopening. The investigation is ongoing.