On Sunday, April 2, a 21-year-old YouTuber was taken to the hospital after being shot while recording a prank video for his prank-themed YouTube channel at the Dulles Town Center, a shopping mall located in Virginia.
The incident forced the mall to shut down temporarily, as Alan W. Colie, the 31-year-old accused gunman, was arrested within minutes of committing the shooting.
Tanner Cook, the YouTuber and victim in the shooting, was filming the prank video with a friend when Colie allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Cook in the liver and stomach. Cook was attended to and transported to a nearby hospital with the help of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and the Combined Fire and Rescue System.
Colie has since been charged with one count each of aggravated malicious wounding, using a firearm in the commission of a felony, and also discharging a firearm within a building. He is set to appear in a preliminary hearing on May 3.
Despite the unfortunate encounter, Cook is currently recuperating from the incident in a local hospital and is still determined to continue creating videos for his YouTube channel.
Phyllis Randall of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, said people had experienced secondary trauma from the event, which has affected many. Jeramy Cook, Tanner’s father, shared his hopes for Alan Colie, saying he prays that Colie finds God.
The shopping mall re-opened on Monday amidst heavy security, although the shopping crowd was quiet due to the tragic event earlier in the weekend.