Wikipedia

Chud the Builder

Dalton Levi Eatherly (born June 27, 1997), better known as Chud the Builder,[a] is an American livestreamer who is known for his confrontational IRL streams in Tennessee. Eatherly's online persona, characterized by frequent use of racial slurs and harassment directed at Black people, has led to public condemnation, platform suspensions, and legal controversies. He received national media attention in 2026 following a shooting outside a courthouse in Clarksville, Tennessee, which resulted in Eatherly being charged with attempted murder.

Chud the Builder
Born
Dalton Levi Eatherly

(1997-06-27) June 27, 1997 (age 28)
Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S
Kick information
Channel
Years active2025–2026
GenreIRL streams
X information
Handle
Display nameChudTheBuilder
Years active2024–present
Followers229 thousand
Last updated: May 15, 2026

Career

In 2024 or early 2025, Eatherly was involved in a road rage incident with a Black woman, whose daughter later alleged that he had called them "the n-word".[1] The resulting local backlash reportedly led to Eatherly losing his job at a construction company.[2] Eatherly later stated that the incident motivated him to begin creating retaliatory online content.[1]

Eatherly began livestreaming on Kick and posting on X under the alias "ChudTheBuilder". His content primarily consisted of IRL streams, and he described himself online as a "free speech patriot". His livestreams became known for their confrontational and ragebait-oriented style, frequently involving interactions with strangers in public settings,[3] consistently featuring the use of racial slurs and dog whistles directed at Black people, whom he often referred to as "chimps".[4] He displayed his firearm during several livestreams,[5] and on social media, Eatherly implied that eventually one of his confrontations would lead to the death of a Black person.[6] Multiple news outlets described Eatherly's content as racist.[4]

Clips from his streams were widely circulated on platforms including TikTok and YouTube, and in early May 2026, a video involving Eatherly went viral in which he appeared to spray a chemical agent at a Black individual while shouting racial slurs after the person knocked his hat off.[7] By 2026, Eatherly had gained a following in some far-right circles, leading to an appearance on Infowars and an interview with Gavin McInnes.[6] However, his racist rhetoric also was criticized by some right-wing commentators, including white nationalist Nick Fuentes.[7]

In April 2026, Eatherly was suspended from Kick over public harassment.[8] The suspension, initially issued for three days, was later extended indefinitely.[9] Following the unsuccessful appeal of his ban, he moved to the livestreaming platform Pump, where every content creator receives a personal meme coin.[6]

Personal life

According to Eatherly, harassment and death threats from Clarksville residents, left-wing TikTok users, and others caused safety concerns that led to his separation from his son.[2] He later claimed that his son's mother planned to change the child's name legally to avoid association with him.[1]

Arrest in Clarksville

On November 18, 2025, Eatherly was arrested, in Clarksville, Tennessee, on a harassment charge.[10]

Arrest in Nashville

On May 11, 2026, Eatherly was arrested after allegedly refusing to pay for a meal at a Nashville steakhouse and directing racial slurs at employees the previous day.[11] Police stated that Eatherly attempted to resist arrest.[12] While in custody, Eatherly claimed that he was interviewed by an FBI counterterrorism unit with regard to alleged links to the Goyim Defense League.[1] He was later released on a $5,000 bond, with a hearing scheduled for July 17.[13][14]

Montgomery County courthouse shooting

On the afternoon of May 13, 2026, Eatherly was scheduled to appear in Montgomery County court over an alleged $3,000 debt owed to a credit company.[7] Outside the courthouse, he became involved in an altercation with a Black man identified as Joshua Fox. During the confrontation, Eatherly allegedly drew a handgun from his jacket pocket and fired multiple shots at Fox.[15] Reports also stated that Eatherly accidentally shot himself in the arm during the incident.[5] Police responded to the scene and Eatherly was subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder, employing a firearm during a dangerous felony, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.[16] His bail was set at $1.25 million.[17] Following the shooting, Eatherly livestreamed himself speaking with first responders,[15] during which he claimed that he had been assaulted by Fox and acted in self-defense.[18]

Eatherly had set up a GiveSendGo fundraiser after he had lost employment. After the shooting, he had raised more than US$150,000 as of May 15, 2026.[2][3][19] The value of his meme coin also increased significantly after the shooting.[6] Commentary surrounding the incident frequently focused on Tennessee's stand-your-ground laws, with some supporters arguing that Eatherly's actions were legally justified.[20] The sheriff's department was criticized by local Tennesseans for not acting on prior concerns with Eatherly. The Democratic Party affiliate in Montgomery County described him as an individual who had sought notoriety as a local white supremacist.[5] In the aftermath of the shooting, several commentators and publications cited the incident as an example of the broader growth of online racism, ragebait content, and engagement farming.[21][6] In a June 2026 hearing, a judge in Nashville revoked his bond in that case.[22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Stylized as ChudTheBuilder

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The Right's Worst New Star Just Shot Someone". The Bulwark. May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Dawson, Athena (May 15, 2026). "Racist video streamer given over $100K after attempted murder charge". The Mirror US. Archived from the original on May 20, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Fundraiser for racist streamer 'Chud the Builder,' raises over $130k". Newsweek. May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Loller, Travis (May 15, 2026). "Tennessee man known for racist videos held on $1.25M bond for courthouse shooting". AP News. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Fiscus, Natalie Neysa Alund and Kirsten. "Controversial livestreamer 'Chud the Builder' shot, charged with attempted murder". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Campbell, Andy (May 15, 2026). "A racist streamer shot a Black man in Tennessee. Viewers rewarded him handsomely". MS NOW. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Tucker, Emma; Alvarado, Caroll (May 13, 2026). "Livestreamer known for posting racist content faces attempted murder charge after shooting outside courthouse". CNN. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  8. ↑ Bhatti, Fariha (April 28, 2026). "Who is Chudthebuilder, and why he was banned from Kick?". win.gg. Archived from the original on May 10, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  9. ↑ "ChudtheBuilder's 3-day ban escalates to indefinite Kick ban following harassment backlash". The Times of India. April 29, 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on April 29, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  10. ↑ Smith, Chris (May 13, 2026). "UPDATE: Man who instigated racist disputes charged with attempted murder outside County Courthouse | VIDEO - ClarksvilleNow.com". Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  11. ↑ Tumin, Remy (May 14, 2026). "Chud the Builder, Known for Racist Confrontations, Charged With Attempted Murder". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Livestreamer 'Chud the Builder' charged in shooting outside Tennessee courthouse". NBC News. May 14, 2026. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  13. ↑ Chinman, Luke (May 14, 2026). "Controversial Livestreamer 'Chud the Builder' Charged with Attempted Murder After Courthouse Shooting". People. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  14. ↑ WZTV, Kendal Lewis (May 12, 2026). "Controversial live-streamer arrested after restaurant livestream dispute, racial comments". WZTV. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  15. 1 2 Tucker, Emma; Alvarado, Caroll; Riess, Rebekah (May 15, 2026). "Livestreamer known for racist content faces attempted murder charge, bond set at $1.25 million". CNN. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  16. ↑ Alston, Trey (May 15, 2026). "Chud the Builder's Bond Set for $1.25 Million in Attempted Murder Case". Complex. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ Deliso, Meredith. "'Chud the Builder' held on $1.25M bond after shooting outside courthouse". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Chud the Builder's Bond Set at $1.25M for Charges Related to Shooting, on Video". TMZ. May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  19. ↑ Staff, T. M. Z. (May 14, 2026). "Chud The Builder's Fundraiser Flooded With Donations After Attempted Murder Charges". TMZ. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  20. ↑ Biswas, Shuvrajit Das (May 16, 2026). "Chud The Builder case: Does Tennessee Stand Your Ground law apply? Expert explains as judge sets bond for $1.25 million". Hindustan Times. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  21. ↑ "The unholy trinity that explains "Chud the Builder"". Newsweek. May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  22. ↑ Fiscus, Kirsten. "'Chud the Builder' has bond revoked after Clarksville shooting". The Tennessean. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
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