A jury in Leesburg, Virginia, has acquitted delivery driver Alan Colie of aggravated malicious wounding in the shooting of YouTube prankster Tanner Cook. The incident occurred at the food court in Dulles Town Center on April 2, causing panic among shoppers who feared a mass shooting. Colie, who pleaded not guilty, claimed self-defense in the shooting. The jury, however, remained divided on two lesser firearms counts, ultimately convicting him on one and acquitting him on the other. The verdict was reached after approximately five hours of deliberation.

During the deliberation process, the jury sent a note stating their division on whether Colie acted in self-defense. Following this, Loudoun County Circuit Court Judge Matthew Snow encouraged them to continue deliberating, a standard practice in deadlocked juries. At the end of the day, the jury delivered their verdicts. Colie's defense attorney, Adam Pouilliard, argued that the conviction on the firearms charge is inconsistent with the self-defense acquittal and requested the judge to set it aside. A hearing on this issue is scheduled for next month. Meanwhile, Colie, who has been in custody since his arrest in April, will remain incarcerated.

Throughout the trial, Pouilliard asserted that his client felt threatened by Cook, who stands at 6-foot-5, during the confrontation. Pouilliard claimed that Cook's actions were designed to provoke a reaction and gain attention for his YouTube channel, "Classified Goons." Pouilliard criticized Cook for intentionally scaring people and confusing them for the sake of video content.

Jurors were shown video footage of the incident, capturing the brief altercation between Cook and Colie. In the video, Cook can be seen approaching Colie as he picks up a food order. Holding a cellphone about 6 inches from Colie's face, Cook repeatedly broadcasts a phrase through a Google Translate app that reads, "Hey dips-, quit thinking about my twinkle." Colie can be heard telling Cook to stop multiple times and trying to back away, but Cook continues to advance. Colie eventually attempts to knock the phone away before drawing his gun and shooting Cook in the lower left chest. The entire encounter lasts less than 30 seconds, with no delay between Colie drawing his weapon and firing the shot.

Prosecutor Eden Holmes argued that the facts did not support Colie's self-defense claim. According to the law, Colie must have reasonably believed he was in imminent danger of bodily harm and used no more force than necessary. However, Holmes contended that Cook's prank, although bizarre, did not pose a threat. She questioned how Colie could reasonably fear bodily harm from the phrase played on a phone.

The charges of aggravated malicious wounding and malicious discharge of a firearm also required the jury to determine whether Colie acted with malice. If the jury found that Colie responded to a provocation that reasonably incites fear or anger, then there would be no malice under the law. Colie testified in his own defense, highlighting the fear evoked by Cook's prank. Pouilliard emphasized that Colie, being aware of the dangers faced by delivery drivers and possessing a concealed carry license, acted out of self-defense.

Cook's “Classified Goons” channel boasts over 50,000 subscribers and features various off-putting stunts, such as pretending to vomit on Uber drivers and following unsuspecting customers through department stores. During a preliminary hearing, sheriff's deputies testified that they were well aware of Cook's behavior and had received prior calls regarding his stunts. Cook confirmed that he continues to produce videos, earning between $2,000 and $3,000 per month from his channel.