YouTuber is arrested for faking a medical emergency in Times Square by slumping behind the wheel of a car in 'dangerous stunt'
A YouTuber was arrested after making it appear as though he had passed out behind the wheel of a car in New York City's Times Square and needed medical attention.
Zeeshan Saroya - known on YouTube as Prince Zee - staged the incident on January 10, at the intersection of Broadway and West 46th Street.
Two weeks later, Saroya posted a video on YouTube that showed the preparation of the stunt, as well as the aftermath of it.
Since premiering on January 25, the video has racked up more than 150,000 views on YouTube.
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Pictured: Zeeshan Saroya, known on YouTube as Prince Zee, who was arrested this week
'So I decided to test New Yorkers again and this time I passed out during traffic in Times Square NYC. this was hella crazy!! yall better subscribe cause I got mad crazy videos coming out. love yah,' Saroya wrote in the YouTube description.
According to ABC7, Saroya, 30, lives in Queens.
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea announced the arrest himself on Twitter on Thursday.
'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,' the tweet read.
Saroya is facing several charges, including false reporting of an incident, obstructing governmental administration, criminal nuisance, and disorderly conduct.
A video he posted to YouTube showed him slumped over the wheel of a car in Times Square
After a witness noticed, the NYPD smashed a window and pulled him from the car
In the video, Saroya is seen driving around in Times Square when he suddenly appears to slump over and hit his head on the steering wheel, which a witness quickly sees.
The witness quickly flags down a police officer and they both start banging on the car door. Meanwhile, someone is filming from the outside of the car as well as from a camera set up inside.
More and more officers descend on the vehicle and one eventually smashes the window open.
The NYPD continued rendering aid to Saroya, getting him water and hailing an ambulance
But it was all a stunt for Saroya's YouTube video, a prank that strained the city's resources
As officers try to tend to Saroya and put the car in park, one says 'What's his problem' in regards to Saroya before dragging him out of the car.
The officers then tend to Saroya and give him water as a fire truck and ambulance arrive on the scene.
Saroya is escorted into the ambulance, but eventually released into the care of a friend of his after telling the paramedic that 'two workouts and a Red Bull' were the cause of his fainting spell.
Many of the comments on the YouTube video are highly critical of Saroya.
Saroya is no stranger to pulling pranks on YouTube that have generated controversy
Recent entries for his page include 'Lighting A Baby on Fire' and 'Beating a Baby in Public'
'I'm going to be honest. THIS IS WRONG,' posted Jax Nean.
'So you faked a medical emergency and wasted resources, you should be arrested,' said Adam Diaz.
'This is so wrong. Could’ve been an emergency elsewhere that needed their response. Yikes,' posted Anthony Dechristopher.
Saroya is no stranger to controversy when it comes to pulling stunts for his social media accounts.
At the beginning March 2020, he filmed a video showing him licking a subway rail, much to the disgust of those around him.
It drew further scrutiny since it was posted during the height of the pandemic.
Towards the end of that month, there were 36,221 cases of people with coronavirus in the city and 790 people had died.
Saroya, declared he would never 'lick a d**m pole' but described the video and his style comedy as 'absurd'
He later claimed he used a fake tongue in the video and had to clarify it was filmed before the pandemic was in full swing after he posted it to Instagram on March 18.
PIX11 reports they also staged a video in 2019 to see how bystanders would react to a moment of sexual harassment and an ensuing scuffle.
'I was surprised you know - I wanted to people to actually step in,' Saroya said.
Other recent uploads on his page include videos titled 'Lighting A Baby on Fire' and 'Beating a Baby in Public.'