Alec Baldwin Fires Prop Gun on Set, Killing Cinematographer

[AnakinFlair]

'Rust' crew members reportedly used guns with live ammunition hours before deadly shooting on set

From CNN. Allegedly the crew was using guns from the set(!) to go 'plinking', IE shooting beer cans, earlier that day before filming started. With live ammunition.

[JBatmanFan05]

Wish there was more information: Real non-blank bullet, or not? Because that's quite significant and makes a lot of difference.

It remains unclear what was in the gun that Baldwin fired. Detectives learned the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez, had laid three prop guns on the cart before Halls, the assistant director, grabbed one and handed it to Baldwin. Souza, the film's director, told investigators he believed the gun was unloaded and safe.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/26/enter...cec/index.html

[AndrewCrossett]

Things seem to be looking increasingly bad for Halls.

[JBatmanFan05]

Interesting news below. Again, if live rounds were present (even if they didn't cause this death) that's a big wow to me, should be unacceptable.

[Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza] told reporters that investigators believe they have the gun and spent casing that was used in their possession and have recovered a lead projectile from the shoulder of director Joel Souza. That projectile is believed to have killed Hutchins.

He said 500 rounds were located on set, which were a mix of blank ammunition, dummy rounds and, possibly, live rounds. Mendoza declined to comment on how live rounds may have gotten on set. Evidence collected will be submitted to the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Virginia for analysis, he said.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/27/alec...stigation.html

[thwhtGuardian]

This quote from another armorer talking about the incident really had me rolling my eyes, "I told them there was no way any person could do props and armory on a gunfighter movie safely because there were too many guns."

Bull ****.

No way you could do it safely?

Strange thing, in all my years growing up no one ever died playing cowboys or cops and robbers in my town. And on my dead end street alone there were twenty kids...and we all had dozens of guns...but not one of us ever died. Want to know why?

Because the guns weren't real.

and that's all movies are, people playing pretend for our enjoyment. If it worked when we were kids it'd work just as well on the big screen...and probably cost less too which you think they'd love.

[inisideguy]

It just boggles the mind that any movie set with real guns, has real ammunition anywhere near the site. Crazy.

[thwhtGuardian]

It just boggles the mind that any movie set with real guns, has real ammunition anywhere near the site. Crazy.

With gun laws the way they are here I'm not that surprised to be honest. You'd think they'd be laws prohibiting having live ammunition stored near "fake" ammunition to avoid confusion between the two...but we can have rational gun laws here so that's right out the window.

[AndrewCrossett]

This film set is on private property, so the owners can impose whatever restrictions they want on guns.

What astonishes me the most is that crew members were allowed to take the prop guns out for casual target practice, then bring them back to the set. This shooting almost certainly happened because one of those guns got brought back with live ammo still in it, got put back in the rack by a crew member, and nobody re-checked it before it got handed to Baldwin.

What I think will happen is that the unions involved will declare that none of their members are to work on a production with live weapons on set. Period. If that inconveniences the studios and producers, good.

[thwhtGuardian]

This film set is on private property, so the owners can impose whatever restrictions they want on guns.

What astonishes me the most is that crew members were allowed to take the prop guns out for casual target practice, then bring them back to the set. This shooting almost certainly happened because one of those guns got brought back with live ammo still in it, got put back in the rack by a crew member, and nobody re-checked it before it got handed to Baldwin.

What I think will happen is that the unions involved will declare that none of their members are to work on a production with live weapons on set. Period. If that inconveniences the studios and producers, good.

If the unions can do that I'm all for it.

[Zauriel]

I am glad the authorities are still not ruling out criminal charges in this case. Whoever is responsible for the woman's death needs to pay for negligence in accordance with the law.

[Gray Lensman]

This quote from another armorer talking about the incident really had me rolling my eyes, "I told them there was no way any person could do props and armory on a gunfighter movie safely because there were too many guns."

Bull ****.

No way you could do it safely?

Strange thing, in all my years growing up no one ever died playing cowboys or cops and robbers in my town. And on my dead end street alone there were twenty kids...and we all had dozens of guns...but not one of us ever died. Want to know why?

Because the guns weren't real.

and that's all movies are, people playing pretend for our enjoyment. If it worked when we were kids it'd work just as well on the big screen...and probably cost less too which you think they'd love.

Did anyone die during the filming of Lord of War? That movie had thousands of guns on set from what I have read - all real because it was far cheaper than buying props.

[Scott Taylor]

I am glad the authorities are still not ruling out criminal charges in this case. Whoever is responsible for the woman's death needs to pay for negligence in accordance with the law.

I'm not sure how it works in this case. If its a matter of personal liability or corporate liability or both. But yah, there is much more to come.

[Agent Z]

Rust assistant director was reportedly fired from past film due to previous on-set prop gun incident

https://www.avclub.com/rust-assistan...ast-1847935603

[Username taken]

Rust assistant director was reportedly fired from past film due to previous on-set prop gun incident

https://www.avclub.com/rust-assistan...ast-1847935603

Wow....just wow.....

This situation is looking increasingly terrible for the guys in charge of this production.

[KabutoRyder]

Wow....just wow.....

This situation is looking increasingly terrible for the guys in charge of this production.

Indeed. What size studio is Rust being done by, cuz I imagine if it is some medium to smaller/indy sized one, the lawsuit/civil suit/criminal charges from this is going to be their death sentence as a company.