A 20-year-old Tennessee man was fatally shot while filming a ‘prank robbery’ for YouTube that went horribly wrong.
Police say Timothy Wilks and a friend approached a group of people wielding butcher knives at the Urban Air Trampoline Park in Nashville. One of the group pulled out a handgun and shot Wilks, believing they were in danger. The stunt was being filmed for a YouTube video.
Police say two people pulled a "prank" robbery by running at a group of people with a butcher knife. Someone in the group opened fire, unaware the scene was fake. https://t.co/SmKsk7isOZ
— WTVM News Leader 9 (@WTVM) February 8, 2021
The shooter says he was acting in self-defense. No arrests have been made so far.
Prank videos – including robbery pranks – are very popular on YouTube, but the platform cracked down on dangerous pranks in 2019.
Should any charges be filed here? Should YouTube face any liability?