A 20-year-old man has been shot dead while allegedly participating in a staged robbery intended for a YouTube video. The incident occurred outside a family trampoline park in Nashville, Tennessee.
Witnesses told police that Timothy Wilks and a friend approached a group of people outside the Urban Air trampoline and adventure park, brandishing large knives. A 23-year-old man, who was not part of the prank, shot Wilks, claiming he acted in self-defence and was unaware it was a stunt.
Wilks's friend informed officers that the robbery was a prank for a YouTube video. The shooting took place at around 9:20 p.m. while several families were inside the park, which markets itself as a kid-friendly venue.
Robbery prank videos are common on YouTube, often featuring fake weapons and getaway vehicles. However, YouTube updated its policies two years ago to ban dangerous or threatening pranks, including those that cause fear of serious physical harm or emotional distress. Threats with weapons and fake robberies are specifically prohibited.
The new rules followed several high-profile incidents. In 2017, a YouTube stunt resulted in a death when Monalisa Perez shot her boyfriend through a book, believing it would stop the bullet. She was imprisoned for six months in 2018.
