Alec Baldwin Firearm Accident

[Ben]

Apparently Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger on a "prop" gun on his movie set and killed one person and injured another.

I feel bad for the victims, and even for him, because no one wants to live with that. However, I can't help but wonder where the blame will go and what kind of "guns are bad" propaganda will come out of it. Baldwin is very anti-gun, IIRC.

The two victims were not actors, they were set personnel, so it appears this was not some "shooting a scene" accident. He must have been handling the gun in between scenes. Four rules.


https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/alec-baldwin-tears-rust-movie-set-shooting

[cordex]

I was under the impression that actors didn't get to handle guns between scenes.  Weird.

As far as the four rules, they violate those rules constantly on set.  They have to.

[Ben]

As far as the four rules, they violate those rules constantly on set.  They have to.

I meant "four rules" for in between scenes or running through the script. If it was an actor that was killed, it might have been from a scene where the actor was supposed to be shot. For set personnel to be shot, something else might have happened. The couple of stories I have read seemed to insinuate that he was handling the gun in between scenes.

[Ron]

They could have been filming a shooting scene where he was being filmed head on with the directors giving direction, standing where he would be aiming for the scene. 

[cordex]

I meant "four rules" for in between scenes or running through the script. If it was an actor that was killed, it might have been from a scene where the actor was supposed to be shot. For set personnel to be shot, something else might have happened. The couple of stories I have read seemed to insinuate that he was handling the gun in between scenes.

I don't know what happened but as Ron says it's not hard to believe a crewmember could be shot during filming if the prop fails and actually fires a bullet.  Then again, it also not hard to explain him being an idiot.

All that said, my understanding was that when blank-firing prop guns were not actively in use for filming they are taken by the weapons wrangler.  Way, way smaller scale, but I did that for a few shows at local theatres and the gun (an 8mm, blank-firing 1911) was never out of my sight and as soon as the actor left the stage I took it.  I also kept all the extra ammo on me.

[WLJ]

Sounds like some real rounds got mixed in with the blanks.

[cordex]

Sounds like some real rounds got mixed in with the blanks.

Most modern blank guns are designed such that real rounds won't chamber.

[WLJ]

Most modern blank guns are designed such that real rounds won't chamber.

I remember a (forgotten weapons?) video with a company that handles prop guns and that's what I thought but something happened here out of the ordinary so I don't know.

[WLJ]

As soon as I saw the thread I though of Brandon Lee

And as the AP recalls . . .

In 1993, Brandon Lee, 28, son of the late martial-arts star Bruce Lee, died after being hit by a .44-caliber slug while filming a death scene for the movie “The Crow.” The gun was supposed to have fired a blank, but an autopsy turned up a bullet lodged near his spine.

Alec Baldwin Kills One Person, Wounds Another With a Prop Gun That ‘Misfired’ While Filming a Movie
https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/alec-baldwin-kills-one-person-wounds-another-with-a-prop-gun-that-misfired-while-filming-a-new-movie/

[Ron]

Events like this underscore the absurdity of anti-gun actors making millions of dollars acting in shoot 'em up movies.

You would think that all live ammunition would be banned from a movie set. Like mentioned before, this is not the first time something like this has occurred.

[HankB]

Blanks can be deadly at contact distance (Actor Jon-Erik Hexum found that out years ago) but they usually don't spit out TOO much in the way of fragments. If one person was killed and another injured, that suggests either multiple shots or a pass through. And a pass through strongly implies live ammo.

Either whoever was in charge of the "props" dropped the ball - big time - or there's something more sinister in play. Cops need to really, really investigate this in detail.

[WLJ]

Events like this underscore the absurdity of anti-gun actors making millions of dollars acting in shoot 'em up movies.

You would think that all live ammunition would be banned from a movie set. Like mentioned before, this is not the first time something like this has occurred.

Alex, unlike his brother, is extremely anti-gun and has been very vocal about it.

[Ben]

Most modern blank guns are designed such that real rounds won't chamber.

Yeah, that is a curiosity to me. I don't know anything about the Hollywood movie set firearm policies, but it only seems sane to have "firearms" that absolutely cannot accept a projectile cartridge of any kind. 

Obviously, as Hank pointed out with the Hexum death, a blank can still kill, but with the state of special effects today, I, as a layman, can't see any valid reason for a real gun on a movie set. Especially when most in Hollywood hate guns, you would think there would have been a push for something like this. But then guns are cool and okay in movies, I guess.

[dogmush]

They use real guns for the realism, and they use blanks because that is the cheapest and best way to catch a gunshot on screen.  The same reason Hollywood constantly injures stunt people by throwing them off buildings or ripping them around on wires.  It looks good.

This could be as simple as a properly loaded blank gun that had an obstruction in the barrel that was not noticed, to something stupider, hard to say at this point.  Either way, condolences to the family of the lady who died.

[Brad Johnson]

Blanks can be deadly at contact distance (Actor Jon-Erik Hexum found that out years ago) but they usually don't spit out TOO much in the way of fragments. If one person was killed and another injured, that suggests either multiple shots or a pass through. And a pass through strongly implies live ammo.

Either whoever was in charge of the "props" dropped the ball - big time - or there's something more sinister in play. Cops need to really, really investigate this in detail.

This.

Brad

[MillCreek]

https://www.manopause.com/entertainment/we-are-filmmakers-who-work-with-firearms-this-is-what-is-important-in-on-set-safety-44879/?fbclid=IwAR1Xe7oOFUb2qCOeLkOBzTg-xv_irXeaqeBC4P0AwfC8H7Jgzb9JSq2frQs

Interesting article from movie armorers in Oz. 

[RocketMan]

When I read about this incident last night, the first thing that came to mind was that Baldwin was screwing around with a prop gun, causing the accident.  He has proven himself over the years to not be the brightest individual.  He has a strong sense of entitlement and is often very harsh and unkind to those around him.
In hindsight however, I suppose he should be given the benefit of the doubt in that something went wrong during the filming of a scene.
Condolences to the family and friends of the persons killed and injured.

[Hawkmoon]

Most modern blank guns are designed such that real rounds won't chamber.

I saw that mentioned on another site. I had never heard or read that prior to this incident. How does that work?

[ConstitutionCowboy]

This is preventable. Shooting at a mirror that is on a 45° angle with the camera crew and other actors/directors, etc. safely off to the side  only puts the mirror in jeopardy. 

Woody

[Hawkmoon]

Alex, unlike his brother, is extremely anti-gun and has been very vocal about it.

True. Another Hollywood hypocrite. Doesn't want us to have guns, but he's fine with making millions for using them on screen.

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Another thought: Could the gun have been switched with one loaded with real cartridges somewhere during the hand-off from the prop manager to Baldwin?

Woody

[Hawkmoon]

In hindsight however, I suppose he should be given the benefit of the doubt in that something went wrong during the filming of a scene.

I don't know how much benefit of the doubt he should be given. He is not only the star of the production, he is also the producer. As producer, doesn't he have some responsibility for everything that happens on the set? Let's face it -- even accepting that he didn't intend to kill Ms. Hutchins, an innocent person (who was working for him) is dead by his hand. We are constantly taught that we own every bullet that leaves our guns. Well, Baldwin owns this one.

[Hawkmoon]

Another thought: Could the gun have been switched with one loaded with real cartridges somewhere during the hand-off from the prop manager to Baldwin?

If that might have happened -- why was there any live ammunition on a movie set?

[WLJ]

Guess we have to wait and see what what the incident report says but I will be surprised if it was something other than live rounds getting mixed up with blanks in a real gun. Maybe a piece of a chamber flag got jammed in the barrel* or something along those lines.
No matter what Alex will get even more anti-gun, if that's even possible, but at the same time will continue making millions playing the hero saving the day with a gun.

*Actually had that happen.

[DittoHead]

He probably is a hypocrite and terrible person, but being anti-gun while using a gun a in movie isn't automatically hypocritical.
Acting involves pretending to do things you might not personally endorse such as murder, rape, or eating pineapple on pizza.