Being an internet celebrity is a strange thing. There really isn't another breed of fame quite like it. In the past, a famous person would always be somewhat emotionally removed from their fandom. Oh sure, they might indulge in the occasional meet-and-greet after a performance, or have a signing session where their devotees could bag themselves an autograph and a hasty selfie, but the border between their private life and their personal life would be very clearly separate.
With online stars however, things are a little different. YouTubers and vloggers attempt to actively cultivate an intimate relationship with their fans and share details of their lives and their feelings which other celebrities in older mediums might be disinclined to mention. It's easy to see why they're a little bit more outspoken: most of the time this is mutually beneficial. After all, viewers are attracted to the idea of having a window into another person's life. However, this month a disturbing incident shows how this kind of intimacy can be taken too far, and what happens when YouTube fans become dangerous.
According to police reports, last month internet celebrities Gavin Free and Meg Turney, who are in a relationship and regularly appear in each other's content, were threatened by a violent fan who harboured amorous feelings towards Turney. On January 26, obsessive fan Christopher Giles drove approximately 700 miles for eleven hours straight from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Free and Turney's home in the Hyde Park neighbourhood of the city of Austin, Texas. Armed with a handgun, the 23-year-old allegedly broke into the property at around 3.40am and began searching for the two of them.
The terrified couple awoke upon hearing the sounds of breaking glass, footsteps and a gunshot and immediately hid in their bedroom closet and dialled 911. Giles began to ransack their home, breaking furniture and shouting to try to locate them, while Free and Turney quietly kept the dispatcher on the line throughout the ordeal. At one point, Giles fired his pistol while inside the house. After approximately four minutes, Giles became frustrated and exasperated by his fruitless search and made to leave. As he was about to make his escape, armed police officers pulled up to Turney and Free's driveway and attempted to apprehend him. Giles got into his car and discharged his firearm again. Officer Matthew Jackson returned fire and a few minutes later Giles was found dead. Police currently believe that he committed suicide.
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Police officers who viewed security camera footage of Giles' breaking and entering later wrote in their affidavit that: "It was apparent that Giles' sole intent was to cause harm to someone who resides there ... Based upon the known circumstances and investigative findings, your affiant is led to believe that evidence related to the planned burglary and homicides of Megan Turney and Gavin Free will be found ... threatening thoughts were recorded by Giles and directed toward Gavin Free, i.e., ‘I want Gavin Free to die alone, with no children.’"
Police later searched Giles' property and seized a number of his items, including an Xbox, a laptop, two cellphones and two tablets from the home. They noted that Giles was a devoted video gamer and found that the gunman had developed a fondness for Turney as a result of his hobbies. Their criminal profile characterised Giles as "single, lonely, and disturbed" and it became clear that a jealous and resentful Giles envied Gavin for his relationship. The couple has since tweeted thanks to their well-wishers on Twitter and assured their followers that they are safe and well.
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Gavin David Free is a British-born movie maker who hails from Oxfordshire, who achieved success with his YouTube channel 'Slow Mo Guys', alongside his longtime collaborator Daniel Gruchy. He has participated in a number of videos for Rooster Teeth, including their acclaimed Halo-inspired machinima series "Red vs Blue." He also worked alongside actor
Chris Hemsworth while producing the slow-motion cinematography for the movie Snow White and the Huntsman, and is one of the six main hosts of 'Achievement Hunter' since his promotion in 2012.
Meg Turney is a vlogger, cosplayer and model who has garnered a devoted fandom for her geek chic expertise. She has formerly served as a host for the Rooster Teeth news channel 'The Know', and as a co-host for the podcast 'The Patch' and the show 'Free Play'. She also has her own YouTube channel where she frequently discusses details of her life and work, and currently boasts almost 340,000 faithful subscribers. Her and Turney have been in a relationship since 2013.
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Incidents such as this prove that internet celebrities are just as vulnerable, if not more, to stalking behaviour. Other famous cases of celebrity stalking include women such as Jodie Foster and Bjork, who were stalked by violent, obsessive characters. We wish Meg Turney and Gavin Free all the best, and hope that they get over what must have been a traumatising incident.
