‘Bro’ livestreams bomb prank at University of Washington on YouTube
May 31, 2018, 7:33 PM | Updated: Jun 1, 2018, 12:03 pm
(KIRO 7)
(KIRO 7)
A livestreamer who goes by the name “Arab Andy” filmed an alleged bomb prank at the University of Washington that sent students fleeing from their classroom. The entire incident was captured live on YouTube.
As a result, Savery Hall at UW was evacuated at around 5:30 p.m. The Quad at UW was briefly blocked off as police and firefighters investigated to determine there was no bomb. The Quad was reopened at 6:22 p.m.
The online streamer goes by the handle “Arab Andy.” He accepts financial donations while he streams his activities. In return, donators can play audio on speakers as he walks around. Or their text messages are translated into audio on the speakers. Previous videos show him walking around “trolling Seattle,” playing bomb sounds. He is frequently asked to leave markets, and other public places.
On Thursday, Arab Andy allegedly walked around the University of Washington campus disrupting classrooms, acting like he was late to class or just lost — all on live video that lasted nearly an hour and 16 minutes. The livestream shows him walking into the back of a classroom where his speakers play the sound effect of a bomb being activated. This caused students to run from the room and police to respond. He continued to stream until police found him. The Daily reports that university police made the arrest.
“You’re going to arrest me for nothing bro,” Arab Andy can be heard on the live video as police detain him. “Come on stop, bro. That’s not fair bro. Bro? Bro stop. Listen bro. I’m sorry, listen bro. This is, like, assault, bro. This is a YouTube livestream bro. It was a donation. It was a donation to media. Somebody donated two bucks and it played some ****.”
The YouTube video originally found here was removed. A clip of the incident can be found here (Warning: Offensive language).
Livestreaming a bomb threat
The live video shows “Arab Andy” walking around the University of Washington campus the evening of Thursday, May 31, 2018. The video features him talking with people who are watching and commenting on his livestream. It shows him walking into classes as audio clips with racial epithets are played over his speakers. One teacher tosses the livestreamer out of his class.
Eventually, at about 39 minutes into the live video, he walks into a sociology classroom and sits down in the back.
“Hi guys, sorry I’m late,” he whispers to the people in the room.
“Is this where you are supposed to be?” a person off camera asks him.
“I think so,” he responds.
His speakers then play an audio clip that the entire room hears: “Attention. C4 has been successfully activated. Bomb detonation countdown successfully started.”
A series of beeps can then be heard on the video as fearful students flee the room. More donations to his stream are noted in the video.
“Oh my God,” he giggles after the room is cleared. “We got to go guys …. Dude, you cannot get a better reaction than that … That was not on purpose. Not playing guys … I just made a whole crowd run for their lives.”
He then walks out of the building where he sees people in the quad talking about the incident. He giggles and acts oblivious as people discuss what just happened in the building. He then walks off campus.
“Yo Arab Andy … Sorry bro. Stay safe LOL,” a donator’s comments are announced on the speakers.
Police and fire trucks begin to arrive. Arab Andy films it all.
“Holy **** dude. It’s not even a bomb guys,” he can be heard saying on the stream. “Prank gone wrong guys. It wasn’t even a prank dude.”
The video shows police officers finding him at University Avenue and 42nd Street.
“Hey! Get on the ground right now! Don’t make any sudden movements,” an officer yells.
“What’s going on? I’m recording bro, if you are going to shoot me,” Arab Andy says. “What are you doing, bro? Put the gun down. What are you doing, bro?”
“That’s fine … record all you want. That’s totally fine,” an officer says. “You are being contacted for a bomb threat … on the ground. Lay on the ground.”
“That was DTS, that was a donation,” Arab Andy says.
“On the ground,” the officer continues to say and instructs him to put his hands behind his back.
“Come on bro, I didn’t do anything,” Andy says on the video. “Bro? Look at the video bro, I recorded it.”
“Good,” the officer says.
“This is F***** bro. You’re going to arrest me for nothing bro. Come on, stop bro. That’s not fair bro. Bro? Bro stop. Listen bro. I’m sorry, listen bro. This is like assault bro. This is a YouTube livestream bro. It was a donation. It was a donation to media. Somebody donated two bucks and it played some ****.”
The video goes blank as officers take his camera. Audio can still be heard as Andy is told that he is being detained and that someone followed him out of the building and reported him to police.
As Andy is being detained, viewers in the livestream begin commenting that cops are racists and that Arab Andy did nothing. They play anti-cop music. Other commenters play “Bomb countdown started” audio clips. Other audio clips continue, telling the cops to kill themselves and that they are pigs.
Eventually, the livestream stops.
