LEESBURG, Va. — After two days of testimony, the man who shot a 21-year-old YouTuber inside Dulles Town Center on video in April has been found not guilty on two charges of malicious wounding.

The jury found Alan Colie not guilty of aggravated malicious wounding or use of a firearm for aggravated malicious wounding, however, he was found guilty of firing a gun inside the mall. That guilty verdict has been set aside until a hearing to discuss it on October 19.

Colie, a DoorDash driver, was on trial for shooting Tanner Cook, the man behind the YouTube channel “Classified Goons,” at the Dulles Town Center back in April. Colie admitted to shooting Cook when he took the stand Wednesday but claimed it was self-defense.

The case went viral not because there was a shooting inside a mall, but because Cook is known to make prank videos. Cook amassed 55,000 subscribers with an average income of up to $3,000 per month. He said he elicits responses to entertain viewers and called his pranks “comedy content.”

Colie faced three charges, including aggravated malicious wounding, malicious discharge of a firearm within an occupied dwelling, and use of firearm for aggravated malicious wounding. The jury had to weigh different factors including if Colie had malicious intent and had reasonable fear of imminent danger of bodily harm.

Cook was in the courtroom when jurors were shown footage of him getting shot near the stomach – a video that has not yet been made public. Cook’s mother, however, left the courtroom to avoid watching the key piece of evidence in her son’s shooting.

The footage was recorded by one of Cook’s friends, who was helping to record a prank video for Cook’s channel. The video shows Cook holding his phone near Colie’s ear and using Google Translate to play a phrase out loud four times, while Colie backed away.

When he testified, Colie recalled how Cook and his friend approached him from behind and put the phone about 6 inches away from his face. He described feeling confused by the phrase Cook was playing. Colie told the jury the two looked “really cold and angry.” He also acknowledged carrying a gun during work as a way to protect himself after seeing reports of other delivery service drivers being robbed.

“Colie walked into the mall to do his job with no intention of interacting with Tanner Cook. None,” Adam Pouilliard, Colie’s defense attorney, said. "He’s sitting next to his defense attorneys right now. How’s that for a consequence?”

The Commonwealth argued that Cook was never armed, never placed hands on Colie and never posed a threat. They stressed that just because Cook may not seem like a saint or his occupation makes him appear undesirable, that a conviction is warranted.

“We don’t like our personal space invaded, but that does not justify the ability to shoot someone in a public space during an interaction that lasted for only 20 seconds,” Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Eden Holmes said.

The jury began deliberating around 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Shortly after 3:30 p.m., the jury came back saying they were divided and couldn’t come to a resolution. The judge instructed them to continue deliberating and later returned with the not-guilty verdict.

WUSA9 caught up with the Cook family following the verdict. When we asked Tanner Cook how he felt about the outcome, he said it is all up to God.

“I really don’t care, I mean it is what it is,” he said. “It’s God’s plan at the end of the day.”

His mother, Marla Elam, said the family respects the jury and that the Cook family is just thankful Tanner is alive.

“Nothing else matters right now,” she said.

Here’s the video by NBC Washington, apologies that it’s served by Discord

  • theluckyone@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yes, yes it can. In this situation, we have one normal guy just trying to live his life in peace. We have one nutjob harassing him for the lulz and giggles from like minded nutjobs. Finally, there’s a second nutjob defending his behavior right here on this very forum.

      • gregorum@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Nobody said it was normal. The fact is that it is legally justifiable to shoot at someone, in self-defense, who was assaulting them.

        Whether you or anyone likes it or not is irrelevant.

          • gregorum@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            Yet another thing you’ve imagined.

            I suggest you give up. You’re not going to score a “win” here.

            • Administrator@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              give up on what? I don’t care about pointless discussions with strangers, but you seem so invested. I only asked a question and you answered. So long

      • theluckyone@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You’re being disingenuous. It’s not a normal situation, therefore there is no normal response.

        The question you ought to be asking is what makes it normal to be approached from behind by two large men and repeatedly accosted by them shoving a loud phone in your ear?

        • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          to be approached from behind by two large men and repeatedly accosted by them shoving a loud phone in your ear?

          They asked you a very clear question, what about this makes it normal or ok to shoot someone?

          Being confused and paranoid is not justifiable reason to shoot someone.

          Honestly, you guys are acting like a fucking old person with a gun is allowed to shoot every trans person they see because it’s confusing and scary and they’re not sure how to respond.

          • FlowVoid@midwest.social
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            1 year ago

            It is not normal to behave aggressively towards someone, get within range to hit them, and then repeatedly close in when the other person tries to backs away. It is not normal for cis people and it is not normal for trans people.

            When someone does those things, it generally signals they intend to start a fight.

          • theluckyone@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I gave a very clear answer. Perhaps you should spend some time working on your reading comprehension.

            You’re also building straw men. Nobody’s mentioned age, nor transsexuals, nor paranoia, nor confusing, nor scary… except you.

            Quit trolling.

            • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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              1 year ago

              The literal argument you’re making is that he felt scared so hes justified shooting the kid.

              Just like that old man who shot the black boy who knocked on the wrong door.

              What’s different? If all that matters is whether the victim gets scared and confused then that racist old fuck was justified right?

              • theluckyone@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                There you go again, building straw men. There’s a significant difference between being assaulted by two large men versus having a boy standing behind a door on a porch.

                If you can’t see that, you need professional help. If you’re trying to troll, you’re doing a shitty job of it.