Alec Baldwin fired prop gun, killing 1 on movie set, Oct 2021

[Marysmith]

"The assistant director did not know live rounds were in the prop gun, the Santa Fe County sheriff's detective wrote in the court document. It was one of three prop guns on a cart that had been set up by an armorer, it said."

.."set up by the armorer"
were all three guns "cold" ?
did anyone else have access to this cart I wonder?

Alec Baldwin was told prop gun was safe before fatal shooting, affidavit says

Based on this and another article stating similar the armorer was on set and was the one who gave the gun to police when they arrived. So maybe the walkout didn’t affect that position?
What a nightmare and senseless death!

 

[Cryptic]

Does anyone wonder if this was a case of sabotage with all strife on the set?

I think a direct case of sabotage is unlikely. The set evidently already had several accidental discharges.

But.... they should track down the crew who left and see if any of them doubled as assistant armorers etc.

If leaving, they had an ethical duty to leave their departments- and especially a department involved with weapons as organized and safe as they could before departing.

In short, they could not just lay the weapons down in varying states of empty, blanks and live rounds and say "Bye- let the next person figure it out...." I am not saying that happened, but it is possible.

 

[Dotta]

Production crew walked off Alec Baldwin movie set hours before tragic shooting | Daily Mail Online

More details...

It was a vintage Colt revolver

 

[Betty P]

Based on this and another article stating similar the armorer was on set and was the one who gave the gun to police when they arrived. So maybe the walkout didn’t affect that position?
What a nightmare and senseless death!

I read elsewhere the armourer was non union. It would explain somecthings. Watching news reports, the armourer is supposed to stay with their guns at all times. They're supposed to be the ones who recheck the gun in front of the actor before handing it to them. Even in a lax situation, working with non union workers (aka "scabs") the assistant director is supposed to perform that step.

Per the DM article, the armourer looked awfully young to be performing that job. Seems shocking that she just left a cart of guns sitting around unattended. JMO

 

[Dotta]

Er... Can you imagine such error in Q Tarantino film????

 

[Mo Thuairim]

This article has a very good overview of events.

I found this snippet interesting (BBM):

Crew members told the Times that on October 16, Baldwin’s stunt double accidentally fired two rounds from a gun after being told it had no ammunition. According to a crew member, there were no subsequent safety meetings or investigations. Two anonymous sources alleged to Consequence that Halls, the assistant director who brought Baldwin the gun, had a history of ignoring safety protocols on other projects. One said she had previously filed two formal safety complaints against Halls.

Everything We Do and Don’t Know About the Fatal Rust Set Shooting

 

[steeltowngirl]

There is a line from #Unforgiven that maybe someday I will have the courage to put here,' she wrote. 'It pretty much sums it all up.'

Frances Fisher remembers cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after Alec Baldwin accidentally killed her | Daily Mail Online

 

[steeltowngirl]

An assistant director on the New Mexico movie set of the movie "Rust" claimed that a gun being handed to actor Alec Baldwin on Thursday was unloaded, a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe court said, according to reports.

"Cold gun," assistant director Dave Halls announced at the time, using lingo for an unloaded firearm, before a rehearsal for the movie, The Associated Press reported.

Soon afterward, court filings say, Baldwin pulled the trigger of the firearm, fatally wounding cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

The gun used by Baldwin was one of three firearms that had been placed on a cart by Hannah Gutierrez, who was identified as the armorer for the film, The Associated Press reported.

Halls was unaware live rounds were inside the firearm he grabbed and handed to Baldwin, a detective wrote in an application for the search warrant, the AP reported.

Alec Baldwin was told firearm was unloaded, search warrant says: report

 

[Mo Thuairim]

Halyna Hutchins' husband reacts to her death on the set of Alec Baldwin movie: 'I don't think there are words'

Alec Baldwin Fatal Shooting On Movie Set Could Have Been Filmed, Cops Say – Deadline
Search Warrant Issued For Santa Fe Location, Cameras, Phones & More

 

[steeltowngirl]

Could Alec Baldwin face charges after 'Rust' movie set shooting? Experts weigh in

‘Level of culpability’
Fox News spoke about the incident with Chicago-based attorney Andrew Stoltmann, who said the shooting could "absolutely" lead to criminal charges against the "Beetlejuice" star.

Actor Alec Baldwin accidental discharged a gun on the set of the upcoming movie ‘Rust’ that resulted in the death of a crew member.

"He needs to start thinking like a potential defendant instead of just somebody who made a tragic mistake," the attorney warned. "There are crimes that cover this sort of situation depending on his level of culpability."

Could Alec Baldwin face charges after 'Rust' movie set shooting? Experts weigh in

 

[IceIce9]

An assistant director on the New Mexico movie set of the movie "Rust" claimed that a gun being handed to actor Alec Baldwin on Thursday was unloaded, a search warrant filed in a Santa Fe court said, according to reports.

"Cold gun," assistant director Dave Halls announced at the time, using lingo for an unloaded firearm, before a rehearsal for the movie, The Associated Press reported.

Soon afterward, court filings say, Baldwin pulled the trigger of the firearm, fatally wounding cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

The gun used by Baldwin was one of three firearms that had been placed on a cart by Hannah Gutierrez, who was identified as the armorer for the film, The Associated Press reported.

Halls was unaware live rounds were inside the firearm he grabbed and handed to Baldwin, a detective wrote in an application for the search warrant, the AP reported.

Alec Baldwin was told firearm was unloaded, search warrant says: report

So Hannah Gutierrez, the armorer, placed the gun on a cart before giving to the AD. So she would have been responsible for ensuring the gun was not loaded?

 

[Dotta]

So Hannah Gutierrez, the armorer, placed the gun on a cart before giving to the AD. So she would have been responsible for ensuring the gun was not loaded?

I think the person overseeing the set is responsible.
This is this person's job and duty to make sure everything runs smoothly and according to safety protocols.
It reminds me of a position of a construction site manager - he is ultimately responsible for the safety of the workers. MOO

 

[IceIce9]

I think the person overseeing the set is responsible.
This is this person's job and duty to make sure everything runs smoothly and according to safety protocols.
It reminds me of a position of a construction site manager - he is ultimately responsible for the safety of the workers. MOO

So it seems Hannah Gutierrez made the mistake of providing a hot gun to the AD, who should have checked it before handing it to Baldwin.

Apparently this was her first job as head armorer.

The woman responsible for handling weapons on the set of Alec Baldwin's "Rust" had only recently taken on a gig as a head armorer, and shared she had real doubts about doing the job.

Alec Baldwin 'Rust' Head Gun Handler Had Doubts About Experience Level

 

[Dotta]

So it seems Hannah Gutierrez made the mistake of providing a hot gun to the AD, who should have checked it before handing it to Baldwin.

Apparently this was her first job as head armorer.



Alec Baldwin 'Rust' Head Gun Handler Had Doubts About Experience Level

I would be careful to pin the blame on her.
The whole set was a chaotic circus.
Is the pilot flying with us? - one might worriedly ask.

 

[Dotta]

Family of cinematographer shot dead by Alec Baldwin demand answers as they fight to fly to US | Daily Mail Online

Halyna's family want answers

 

[DWebster]

Safety Tips for Use of Firearms · Actors' Equity Association (actorsequity.org)
<snip>

• Treat all guns as if they are loaded and deadly.
• Never point a firearm at anyone including yourself. Always cheat the shot by aiming to the right or left of the target character
• Check the firearm every time you take possession of it. Before each use, make sure the gun has been test-fired off stage and then ask to test fire it yourself. Watch the prop master check the cylinders and barrel to be sure no foreign object or dummy bullet has become lodged inside.

These are just a few, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the person who cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger while the firearm was pointed at someone.

I don't care if a weapon is handed to me a hundred different times a day, it is MY responsibility to check the weapon before I pull the trigger.

 

[tayaway]

Safety Tips for Use of Firearms · Actors' Equity Association (actorsequity.org)
<snip>

• Treat all guns as if they are loaded and deadly.
• Never point a firearm at anyone including yourself. Always cheat the shot by aiming to the right or left of the target character
• Check the firearm every time you take possession of it. Before each use, make sure the gun has been test-fired off stage and then ask to test fire it yourself. Watch the prop master check the cylinders and barrel to be sure no foreign object or dummy bullet has become lodged inside.

These are just a few, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the person who cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger while the firearm was pointed at someone.

I don't care if a weapon is handed to me a hundred different times a day, it is MY responsibility to check the weapon before I pull the trigger.

Yes! Rachel Maddow interviewed weapons safety expert Steve Wolf on her show last night and he noted that a series of safety failures caused the shooting on set. There are checks along with way that never happened. eta: ...so Baldwin, guilty of not clearing the weapon first, and doubly responsible as a producer?

 

[happyday]

Safety Tips for Use of Firearms · Actors' Equity Association (actorsequity.org)
<snip>

• Treat all guns as if they are loaded and deadly.
• Never point a firearm at anyone including yourself. Always cheat the shot by aiming to the right or left of the target character
• Check the firearm every time you take possession of it. Before each use, make sure the gun has been test-fired off stage and then ask to test fire it yourself. Watch the prop master check the cylinders and barrel to be sure no foreign object or dummy bullet has become lodged inside.

These are just a few, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the person who cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger while the firearm was pointed at someone.

I don't care if a weapon is handed to me a hundred different times a day, it is MY responsibility to check the weapon before I pull the trigger.

No, you don’t want actors who probably have ZERO experience with guns being responsible to check it. That would be a fiasco. That’s why there are specific people for that exact job.

 

[Dotta]

My Dad told me that when he was in the Army (compulsory 1 year), the Sarge always said:
"Once a year even a broomstick shoots by itself, so be very careful guys with the guns".

 

[happyday]

I think the person overseeing the set is responsible.
This is this person's job and duty to make sure everything runs smoothly and according to safety protocols.
It reminds me of a position of a construction site manager - he is ultimately responsible for the safety of the workers. MOO

There are production managers, but in my experience on many sets over the years it’s the director’s set. The director is usually “the boss,” but there are many people who are responsible for overseeing the set, not just one.