For many YouTubers out there, content is all that matters, and they'll go so far as to stalk, harass and intimidate random people to get it. One such YouTuber messed with the wrong person and got shot. A jury found the shooter not guilty.
People have opinions.
YOUTUBE PRANK FAFO—A jury found a food delivery driver not guilty in the shooting of a YouTube prankster who followed and harassed him at a mall in Leesburg, Virginia.
— Amiri King (@AmiriKing) September 30, 2023
Alan Colie was acquitted of aggravated malicious wounding in the shooting of Tanner Cook, who owns the… pic.twitter.com/Xa3kGE41Ui
Despite Tanner Cook, the Youtuber in question, clearly harassing the man, his father blamed it on SNL and mob rule.
He lamented to local news, "So is it open season on YouTubers even if they don't touch or talk to you," he said. "It's cool to just shoot them no matter what the facts are?"
Uh, no.
Did he not watch the same video everyone else saw?
Once it got to being the YouTuber pursuing the guy as he tried to walk away the dude had every reason to think he was in mortal danger https://t.co/EHxIQfLcok
— Alan Roberts (@TheMFingCOO) September 30, 2023
Was thinking the same thing. Once it got to being the YouTuber pursuing the guy as he tried to walk away the dude had every reason to think he was in mortal danger
— Alan Roberts (@TheMFingCOO) September 30, 2023
I don’t know how I feel about this but pranksters ought to think twice before doing these stunts.
— @amuse (@amuse) September 30, 2023
I was raised to understand that if you mess with the wrong person, you could wind up dead. 🤷♂️
— Variable Centrist (@VariableCentrst) September 30, 2023
Leave people alone…don’t walk up to someone in a aggressive or highly suspicious manner…what so hard about that?
— Charles Lopez (@SaintofOK) September 30, 2023
I enjoy a good prank, but there’s a reason prank television shows go through the effort of making a “controlled” environment…and even THEN its very dangerous……
Most people understand you shouldn't walk up to strangers and start badgering them on camera.
Full support people’s personal space is sacred and their patience when you invade it is arbitrary to them
— Ulises Gonzalez 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 (@TrulyUli) September 30, 2023
The only thing that matters is the perception of the one being pranked. He doesn’t see a prank, he sees a threat and is justified in defending himself.
— Bonspy (@bonspy2) September 30, 2023
People need to leave people alone.
— mrwagmi.btc (@mrwagmibtc) September 30, 2023
You don't have a right to harrass or physically impact others.
Whether this was called for, I don't know. Maybe there's more context than the 4 second video.
Don't harass people
— Jenny☆ 🍖 (@judygohome) September 30, 2023
YouTube, of course, incentivizes this behavior. Tanner is making $3,000 a month according to the local news report. Sadly, this seems to have given the young man a sense of entitlement to use any random stranger he meets as a prop for views.
And yet he’s monetized. @YouTube
— Christopher Fusaro (@FusaCmee) September 30, 2023
This Tanner Cook guy is not a “prankster” there is nothing clever about his videos, most of it is criminal trespassing and simply harassment. He tries to say he is working security with police, files false reports with police and TSA… yet @YouTube allows his channel to be up and… https://t.co/rW32WO90gz pic.twitter.com/onHUPxBUu8
— 🇺🇸𝙹𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚢🇺🇸 𝕏 (@JesseASweeney) September 30, 2023
It's not all good news. Colie was found guilty of firing a gun in a mall and will face sentencing. At least he wasn't found guilty of defending himself directly.
Maybe people who decide to harass others for fun, activism or profit will think twice in the future.
Justice. This is a look into the future for those environmentalists mutants blocking people in traffic or on foot. No jury is going to convict these people when they other side is obnoxious or destructive assholes. Pay special attention, rioters. https://t.co/CL4LbUPCER
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) September 30, 2023
When some tells you repeatedly to leave them alone…. You should leave them alone. https://t.co/W5WZJAyYvs
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) September 30, 2023
Good for the jury. https://t.co/gSkpFStcvp
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) September 30, 2023
I 100% agree. https://t.co/DctNHP3GEN
— 🐻 Mary #FlyTheW ⚾️ (@mchastain81) September 30, 2023
I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often, tbh.
— Matthew Marsden (@matthewdmarsden) September 30, 2023
Moral of the story, don't harass others for your YouTube channel.
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