Prosecutors weigh charging YouTube prankster who was shot in Va. mall

Jeramie Cook, father of 21-year-old YouTuber Tanner Cook, Loudoun County Commonwealth attorney Buta Biberaj said that even considering a case against his son showed “legal prejudice” and “mob rule.” He added that he received derogatory messages on social media from people who said the YouTube comedian was harassing people with his clicks online and deserved to be shot.

“If you’re prosecuting my son, prosecute TV celebrities for prank shows,” he said. “And social let’s not let anyone do all the videos of people getting punctured in the media anymore.”

Biberaj, D, said in an interview Friday that two “partial videos” of the encounter show Tanner Cook trying to play a prank on Alan W. Corrie, 31, just before Sunday’s shooting. After describing the two videos to The Washington Post on Friday, Biberaj said:

However, she said, on a different matter, that she could not rule out prosecution of the shooting victims if she had evidence that Cook threatened or touched Cory. When asked if he had any evidence, Biberaj said, “We are continuing to collect evidence.”

She later added: “I do not have a final report prepared by the sheriff’s office on these matters. It will be done later.”

At Wednesday’s bail hearing, public defender Adam Puillard said that Cory may have shot Cook in self-defense and that his client was “targeted, harassed, accused and pursued. He argued that he should be released pending trial because of the

Loudoun County Assistant Attorney Anthony Needham told the court that Cory should be denied bail for shooting unarmed people in a shopping mall, adding: We are also considering it,” Biberaj said.

Needham said the YouTubers’ actions were “pretty disturbing. …But that being said, we don’t believe the defendants in this case actually used or even withdrew their weapons.” I naively believe it was not justified.

Needham declined to comment on the matter and questioned Biberaj.

In the video Cook approaches Collie in the food court area of ​​the mall, walks up to him, and chases Collie for about 60-90 seconds.

Biberaj said, “Collie told Cook to stop several times and tried to walk away,” and shot Cook in the abdomen. Corey was charged with using a firearm while committing a felony and aggravating the malicious injury of firing a firearm inside a building. Court records show he remains in prison even after a judge refused to grant him bail.

“We don’t know where people are or what kind of trauma they’ve been subjected to this kind of prank. They can take it as a threat,” says Biberaj.

The prosecutor then added:

Biberaj said three other men were at the mall with Cook. Cook’s relatives say that one of Cook’s fellow YouTubers was recording videos for the “Classified Goons” channel, which has more than 40,000 followers.

Cook’s grandfather, Michael Cook, said his grandson had been a prankster most of his life and even tried to use a translation app on his smartphone for a moment with Cory. Burr is recovering in hospital, his family said.

Puillard said his client pleaded not guilty. He declined to comment further. A spokeswoman for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation.

Jeramie Cook says his son is a form of unscripted comedy that has existed for decades, dating back to the days of “Candid Camera” and MTV’s “Punked”, which debuted on television in 1948. has a First Amendment right to pursue He said that unwittingly pushing people’s buttons makes those shows interesting.

“Public opinion would probably be very different if the ‘Impractical Jokers’ guys were shot. And people would say, ‘Oh, our celebrity was shot.’