You have a systemic problem, and it isn’t just racism.
1. Handle ALL firearms as if they are loaded. ALL THE TIME.
I don’t care if someone said, “Cold gun.” You check that for yourself.
2. Never point the firearm at anything or anyone that you aren’t willing to destroy.
I’ll admit that gets tricky when you’re supposed to be filming a movie scene in which you’re protraying a character willing to destroy your target. That’s why extra care is called for. And the person the firearm is going to aimed at should ALSO check that the firearm is unloaded. Better yet, the director should adjust camera angles so it only looks like the firearm is aimed directly at a person. Especially if you have Alec Baldwin on set.
3. Keep your finger OFF the trigger until you’re on target and ready to fire.
By various reports, this incident happened between takes. Therefore, there was absolutely no reason for Baldwin’s finger to be anywhere near the trigger.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. Like your cinematographer, and the director beyond her.
That way if you are stupid enough — or Alec Baldwin, but I repeat myself — if to violate the first three rules, you still won’t kill anyone.
While official facts about this incident are still lacking, it clear that at the very least Baldwin lacks the very basic safety knowledge I’d expect — and have seeen — in a seven year-old with his first gun. For a man in his sixties, who has handled firearm for other films, this is criminal. Given the time period of this movie, and at least one report that Baldwin “cocked” the handgun, it appears that it was a single-action revolver. That means Baldwin actively and knowingly put the firearm in a condition to fire; pulling the trigger on an uncocked single-action does nothing. He had to consciously ready the weapon to fire.
According to some reports, though contradicted by others, some crew members had already walked off the set due to discomfort with firearms safety — or, rather, the lack thereof — displayed by cast and crew; reportedly two other negligent discharges prior to this one.. Since someone died to due to a criminal lack of safety, I’m willing to believe it.
And this, per Fox News:
“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.
[…]
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.
The so-called armorer placed firearms on a cart, clearly without verifying their status (loaded/unloaded, or with what).
Then a second person picked up a gun, and failed to check its condition (loaded/unloaded, or with what).
That idiot then handed it to a freaking moron (Baldwin) who — three time’s the charm — failed to check its condition (loaded/unloaded, or with what).
First, no one but the armorer and the actor should be touching those guns. And they both should be checking the guns’ condition.
Another issue is terminology; you may have noted my reference to “or with what.” Several reports say the firearm was loaded with a “live round.” In other reports, apologists rushed in to explain that Hollywood calls blanks “live rounds.” If that is true, then the only real wonder is that so few actors are shooting people on set.
Live round: A cartridge with primer, powder, and projectile(s) — bullet or shot –, ready to fire. Since the Baldwin projectile reportedly penetrated the woman’s body and struck the director with sufficient force that he had to be transported to a hospital, I’m inclined to suspect a live round was used.
Blank: A cartridge with primer and powder, but no projectile. Be aware that blanks are also dangerous; the use of blanks is no excuse to abandon basic firearms safety. Ask Brandon Lee… oh, wait.
Dummy round: A cartridge-shaped object. This may be a cartridge without a live primer and powder, but with a bullet. It may be a plastic or metal model. It may be a snap-cap for dry firing. But a dummy round is inert. Amateur “armorers” should be aware that pulling the bullet from a case, emptying out the powder, and reseating the bullet does not make that into a dummy round; that is a “squib” load — a live round — and can lead to death as well, re: Brandon Lee.
There is no valid reason for a single live round being present in the props for a location set.
Based on the limited facts currently known, I believe Baldwin should be charged with involuntary manslaughter (§ 30-2-3).
B. Involuntary manslaughter consists of manslaughter committed in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to felony, or in the commission of a lawful act which might produce death in an unlawful manner or without due caution and circumspection.
Again, he broke all the rules a child should know, and consciously readied the weapon to fire. He should face an assault charge (§ 30-3-1) for the director’s wounding.
The Raconteur Report disagrees with me on where the blame — and any charges — should be placed. And Aesop makes a valid point: The armorer’s job is to prevent stupid actors killing people. But Baldwin is 1) an adult, 2) has handled a lot of firearms, and 3) like any person handling firearms should know and follow the rules. If he’s incapable of that, then Aesop is correct and he should have been handed a rubber gun. Baldwin should have asked for a rubber gun. And checked to see if the barrel bends. If Baldwin’s mental competence is less than that of a six year-old, he should be so ruled and assigned a responsible guardian. (Then, of course, it would be unlawful to hand him a real gun. With two prior negligent discharges on set already, a sane and normally intelligent actor should have been especially on guard.
I think whether or not the armorer should face charges is trickier; she contributed, but all could still have been well except for Baldwin’s actions. However, this report suggests other possibilities.
[ Armorer] Ms. Gutierrez Reed had arranged the guns on the cart, the affidavit said. After the incident, she took the gun back and removed a spent casing before handing it to sheriff’s deputies who had arrived at the scene, the affidavit said.
That sounds remarkably like tampering with evidence (§ 30-22-5), and raises questions about her motive in removing the casing, and where it is now. Even if the projectile hasn’t been recovered, the casing could indicate just what the firearm had been loaded with, and by whom. And now it appears that they experienced at least two negligent discharges, possibly three, prior to Baldwin’s fatal shot, because a “cold gun” was actually loaded.
Hollywood, you have a gun safety problem. Fix it, or shut the eff up. Writing guidelines doesn’t help if your culture encourages expediency over safety.
At least one person gets it.
“What it means is that somebody was tired, somebody didn’t follow protocol, someone didn’t hire the right person,” said Mr. Lighthill, speaking generally. “It’s not an accident, it’s a preventable incident. We’re all well schooled in how to avoid those problems,” he said.
In fact, just STFU.
Added, 10/24/2021: If this is accurate, “Armorer” Hannah Gutierrez Reed has some problems. TMZ.com is claiming:
Multiple sources directly connected to the ‘Rust’ production tell TMZ … the same gun Alec Baldwin accidentally fired — hitting the DP and director — was being used by crews members off set as well, for what we’re told amounted to target practice.
We’re told this off-the-clock shooting — which was allegedly happening away from the movie lot — was being done with real bullets … which is how some who worked on the film believe a live round found its way in one of the chambers that day.
[…]
There’s also this … one source who was on set and familiar with the goings-on of the crew tells us that when cops showed up, they found live ammo and blanks were being stored in the same area — another possible explanation for how an actual bullet slipped got in the gun.
I’m leery of unnamed sources, but this is consistent with other claims of lax-to-downright-sloppy on-set procedures.
Again, if true, was Reed allowing this? Or was she simply leaving the firearms unsecured? Why live ammo; was it so that crew members had supplies for recreational shooting? Miss Reed appears to be well into “reckless.”
Then there’s this NYP report.
The “inexperienced” armorer in charge of weapons on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie “Rust” had given a gun to an 11-year-old actress without checking property for safety, a report said.
[…]
“She was reloading the gun on the ground, where there were pebbles and stuff,” one source told the outless. “We didn’t see her her check it, we didn’t know if something got in the barrel or not.”
This incident allegedly occurred on set for the movie “The Old Way.”
If there’s any question, you check. If people will give sworn depositions confirming these incidents, Reed had best start working on a plea deal. And then there’s the civil liability all around.
