Alec Baldwin to be charged over deadly shooting on Rust film set

[SnoopZ]

Alec Baldwin to be charged over deadly shooting on Rust film set.

I suspect it's not because he was the one who pulled the trigger but because he's the Producer.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64337761

He will obviously defend it, and seems to me he should win.

How could he possibly know the gun had a live bullet in it, when informed by those who's actual job it was, that the gun was fine.

Originally Posted by Paul

He will obviously defend it, and seems to me he should win.

How could he possibly know the gun had a live bullet in it, when informed by those who's actual job it was, that the gun was fine.

Well ... now that more information has been released, it doesnt look quite so good for him.

The charging document outlines at least a dozen "acts or omissions of recklessness" leading up to the shooting, including:

* Not using a replica firearm for an unscheduled rehearsal
* Letting the armourer leave the set against protocol
* Deviating from the practice of only receiving the gun from the armourer
* Not dealing with safety complaints on set
* Not performing required safety checks with the armourer, who was hired without adequate certification

Baldwin knew the first rule of gun safety is never point a gun at someone you don't intend on shooting

If Mr Baldwin had performed mandatory safety checks with armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and not pointed the gun at Hutchins, the "tragedy would not have occurred"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64475627

Sounds like he is completely caught up in it. Failure to enforce standards as a producer and failure to follow safety precautions as an actor. This as well:

Mr Baldwin was "distracted" talking to family members on his mobile phone during training on how to operate the prop gun, Robert Shilling, a special investigator for the district attorney's office, wrote in a statement of probable cause filed with the manslaughter charges.

[nomadking]

I'm pretty sure as an experienced actor, he would've already used guns on Film & TV sets. IIRC the scene being tested. required that he point the gun at the camera.

[Halcyon]

It sounds like he forgot to follow protocols and all these factors contributed to the shooting.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

It sounds like he forgot to follow protocols and all these factors contributed to the shooting.

It shouldn't have had live ammo anywhere near it. That is the responsibility of the armourer.

Link

Duties

In some areas the weapons master must be a licensed armourer when firearms are used as props.[2]
As of 1993, when Brandon Lee was killed by a gun believed to be loaded with blanks, the rules of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers required:[3]

• Someone certified for the weapon in use be present at all times
• Firearms must be checked before and after each take
• Firearms must be cleaned daily
• Firearms must be stored securely by the props master when not in use
• Loaded guns must never be pointed at anyone
• Protective clothing must be worn by everyone nearby when blanks are fired
• If firearms are to be fired directly at the camera, a plexiglass shield must be erected
• Only the person certified for the weapon or someone under their direct supervision may hand a weapon to an act
• As of 2021, when Helyna Hutchins was killed by a gun believed to be unloaded, the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee's guidelines stressed that blanks can kill, that all firearms were to be treated as loaded and that "live" ammunition was never to be brought onto any set.[1][4] According to Local 44, a union that represents props masters, no members were on set when the shooting occurred.[5]

Originally Posted by nomadking

It shouldn't have had live ammo anywhere near it. That is the responsibility of the armourer.

Link

I agree the armourer is in a very difficult position right now. However Baldwin wasn’t just an actor, he was a producer and therefore the armourer’s boss. If she’s guilty of such extensive failings right under his nose it will be difficult for him to avoid culpability as well.

[Halcyon]

You are indeed right that there should have never been any live ammo.

Does anyone know the reason given for why there was?


Both are therfore to blame.

Originally Posted by Halcyon

You are indeed right that there should have never been any live ammo.

Does anyone know the reason given for why there was?


Both are therfore to blame.

Because America.

I.e. the gun most likely was hired from someone (either an individual or a gun club) who did actual shooting with it. Whereas in the UK there are so few circumstances in which anyone can own a firearm legally (especially a pistol), the chances that one on set will have ever been used with live ammunition ar much reduced.

It looks like, unless I have misunderstood, they may have taken the gun to a shooting range or something even after it was owned by the production!

I mean look at this (from an earlier film): https://www.latimes.com/california/s...-rust-shooting

Gutierrez Reed has denied bringing live ammunition to the “Rust” set, though the documents released by the sheriff’s office include summaries of text messages in which Gutierrez Reed discussed employing live rounds on an earlier project.

While working as an armorer on “The Old Way,” a Nicolas Cage western shot in Montana, Gutierrez Reed sent Kenney a text message on Aug. 15 in which she asked the weapons provider if she could “shoot hot rounds out of the trap door,” the report stated.

“Wtf is a hot round?” Kenney asked in response, to which Gutierrez Reed replied, “Like a pretty big load of actual ammunition,” according to the report.

The report states that Kenney “tells her never to shoot live ammo out of tv/movie guns, and to only use blanks” and follows up by saying, “It’s a serious mistake, always ends in tears.”

“Good to know, I’m still gonna shoot mine tho,” Gutierrez Reed responded, according to the report.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Chris

Because America.

Sounds about right.
Thankgoodness we have tighter laws in the UK.

[SnoopZ]

Alec Baldwin has has the charges dropped.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65343821