Loudon County Sheriff’s Office
Alan Colie is accused of shooting YouTuber Tanner Cook at a Virginia mall.
Alan Colie is accused of shooting YouTube prankster Tanner Cook at the Dulles Town Center Mall in Virginia, on April 2, 2023, the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. According to Cook, a 21-year-old YouTuber, he was trying to pull a prank on Colie when he was shot.
“I was playing a prank, a simple practical joke, and this guy didn’t take it very well,” Cook, who runs the channel “Classified Goons,” told WUSA from the intensive care unit at a local hospital where he is recovering. “He didn’t say anything to me.”
Here’s what you need to know about Alan Colie and the shooting of Tanner Cook:
1. Alan Colie Is Accused of Shooting Tanner Cook in the Abdomen
According to the April 2 press release from the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office, “The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has arrested and charged a Leesburg man involved in a shooting at the Dulles Town Center Mall Food Court this morning. … The shooting resulted from an interaction between the victim and Colie in the food court.”
The sheriff’s office added, “LCSO received the first call reporting that a shooting had occurred at the Dulles Town Center mall at approximately 11:57 AM, and deputies quickly responded, arriving on the scene within three minutes of the call. Deputies immediately entered the mall and took the suspect in custody at approximately 12:02 PM.”
According to the press release, “One adult male victim was found outside the mall with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The victim was treated for injuries by deputies and members of the Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System (LC-CFRS) and transported to a local hospital for treatment. At this time, it does not appear that the suspect and the victim were known to each other. LCSO deputies also checked the entire mall to ensure no other suspects or victims were present. Dulles Town Center management closed the mall for the remainder of the day.”
2. The ‘Classified Goons’ YouTube Channel Features Videos From ‘a Couple of Bone Heads’ & Has More Than 40,000 Subscribers
Tanner Cook told WUSA the shooting won’t stop him from creating prank videos. He and his friends run a YouTube channel called “Classified Goons,” which has 40,000 subscribers, though it is not clear how many of those were following the page before the shooting.
The channel is described as “just a couple of “bone heads’” with new videos each Tuesday. The videos are also posted on Instagram and TikTok.
Another recent video shows an “angry guy” sharing at the cameraman as they record a prank in a store, while other videos show Cook and his friends being kicked out of businesses and talking to police and security while filming prank videos.
Cook’s father, Jeramy Cook, told the New York Post, “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.”
3. Colie Was Charged With Aggravated Malicious Wounding, Use of a Firearm in Commission of a Felony & Discharging a Firearm Within a Building
Accordingo the sheriff’s office, “Alan W. Colie, 31, was arrested and charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building.”
Aggravated malicious wounding is a class 2 felony, according to Virginia law. It carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison. Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony is also a class 2 felony and discharging a firearm within a building is a class C misdemeanor, according to Virginia law.
According to the sheriff’s office, the shooting remains under investigation. “Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective K. Mitchell at 703-777-1021,” the sheriff’s office said in the release.
4. Alan Colie, Who Is From Leesburg, Virginia, Is Being Held in Jail
Alan Colie was being held at the Loudon County Adult Detention Center as of April 4, 2023, according to jail records viewed by Heavy. The records did not state if a bail amount has been set.
According to Loudon County court records viewed by Heavy, Colie’s first court appearance i scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on April 5, 2023, for a bond hearing. A preliminary hearing has been set for May 3, 2023, according to court records.
Colie could not be reached for comment by Heavy and it was not immediately clear if he has hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Online records show he has been appointed a public defender.
According to his Facebook page, Alan Colie works as a courier delivery driver and is originally from Fairfax, Virginia. He graduated from Loudon County High School, he said in the intro section of his Facebook page.
Colie’s Facebook page also includes a photo of the National Rifle Association logo and a photo of the “Don’t Tread on Me Flag.”
Police did not say what kind of gun was used in the shooting and whether it was legally owned by Colie. According to court records, Colie was previously charged in Loudon County in 2012 with assault and battery on a family member but the charge was dismissed in 2014.