April Fools’ Day has come and gone, with some emerging unscathed while others receiving the prank of their lives. However, if you recall ten years ago, YouTube was flooded with all sorts of prank videos and channels dedicated to pranking; they often involved friends or family of the prankster or random strangers from the streets.
Of course, if it’s the latter option, there are those who aren’t so keen on being on the receiving end of a prank, more so if it’s being filmed for other people’s amusement. It was an occupational hazard, to be sure, as they had a tendency to overreact at times, but have you ever seen a prankster get shot by their intended subject?
The Definition Of F*ck Around & Find Out
This was the unfortunate situation 21-year-old Tanner Cook found himself in. The accident happened on Sunday, 2nd April, in a mall where Cook was performing his prank. His channel, called Classified Goons, is known for targeting unsuspecting people, but he messed with the wrong person this time in the form of 31-year-old Alan Colie.
Cook was in a mall for his usual prank and decided to perform it on Colie who was picking up a DoorDash order. A few minutes later, Colie fired into Cook’s abdomen, damaging his stomach and liver. Despite being sent to the ICU, Cook was adamant to continue pranking as it’s his passion. Colie, on the other hand, was arrested and is being charged with three felonies, including malicious wounding, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for next month.
Updates On The Case
NEW: During a bond hearing for the suspect, we learned the prosecution is considering charges against victim Tanner Cook. Cook says he was shot by suspect Alan Colie while recording a prank at Dulles Town Center. The defense argued it was Cook who harassed the suspect. @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/gcEZIZ55kl
— Matthew Torres (@News_MTorres) April 5, 2023
According to Cook, Colie said nothing throughout the ordeal and shot out of the blue. However, a different story can be heard from Colie’s end by his public defender, who states that Cook “antagonised” Colie as he was “targeted, harassed, accosted, and followed.” Colie told Cook to leave him alone, but the prankster was “six inches away” when Colie opened fire.
Because of this, charges against Cook may be a possibility, but what charges specifically are still unknown as the story is developing at the time of writing.
Hot Takes
Let’s be real – prank channels are a fad now, and the major reason for their downfall was the fact that they were mostly fake, alongside the fact that they were simply dying. They were fake for a reason: pranksters have been shot and even killed because of their pranks.
Though the event has caused him to gain roughly 1,000 subscribers, he has been eaten alive in the comment section of his videos. Upon closer inspection of Cook’s work on his YouTube channel, you are more likely to cringe than laugh, as he is rather obnoxious, disturbing people and staff with stupid questions for clout, which makes Colie’s rebuttal all the more sensible. However, this doesn’t justify Colie’s actions or make him right.
In 2012, Colie’s father stated that his son punched him in the temple twice. Colie was charged with assault and battery, but the case was dismissed. We’ll have to see in the coming months whether or not the prankster will also find himself behind bars.
