NEW YORK — A YouTube prankster staged a medical emergency in Times Square, then filmed first responders breaking into his car to try and save him, police said — just to rack up thousands of views.
The foolhardy theatrics was allegedly performed by Zeeshan Saroya, known on YouTube as Prince Zee. As a result, he is now facing charges of obstructing government administration, making a false report, disorderly conduct and other charges for his Jan. 10 stunt near the corner of Broadway and W. 46th St., Daily News reported.
Saroya, 30, from Queens, hid a small GoPro camera in a tissue box on the dashboard of his friend’s car, then pretended to pass out at a stoplight, according to NYPD.
A witness saw him slumped over the wheel and flagged down nearby officers, who raced over and tried to open the door.
The video shows police smashing the car windows when the door doesn’t budge, and pulling out Saroya to check his medical condition.
The YouTuber who faked a medical emergency in @TimesSquareNYC to gain followers also gained a criminal record, as he’s now been arrested & charged with the dangerous stunt that took NYC first responders away from other NYers in actual distress. pic.twitter.com/OdtkjC1dbu
— Commissioner Shea (@NYPDShea) January 29, 2021
Medics were also dispatched to check on Saroya, who blamed his bogus fainting spell on “two workouts and a red bull.”
After his “sudden” revival, Saroya was sent home before posting the video to YouTube earlier this week. Consequently, the joker found himself in police custody on Thursday, Daily News reported.
“The YouTuber who faked a medical emergency in @TimesSquareNYC to gain followers also gained a criminal record, as he’s now been arrested & charged with the dangerous stunt that took NYC first responders away from other NYers in actual distress,” NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea tweeted.
The 13-minute video posted Monday, which Law Officer is not showing, goes into elaborate detail on how Saroya planned the prank and ends with him giving a shoutout to the NYPD, medics and “everybody that helped my a**.”
We’re not certain how he feels about NYPD now that he’s been called out on his juvenile prank.
Saroya was given a desk appearance ticket and is expected to face the misdemeanor charges in court at a later date, police said.
Other videos on his YouTube channel include clips of him passing out or falling asleep on passengers on city subway trains and beating a fake baby in public, according to Daily News.
