Alec Baldwin's 'prop firearm' kills one, injures another

Sheriff's office: Alec Baldwin discharged prop gun that killed crew member, wounded director

Baldwin is one of the film's star actors and producers. He went to the sheriff's office willingly and provided a statement to investigators, sheriff's office spokesman Juan Ríos said.

www.santafenewmexican.com

archive.md/jNQZQ

Actor Alec Baldwin discharged a "prop firearm" that killed a cinematographer and injured a the director of the movie Rust, being filmed on a set south of Santa Fe, a county sheriff's office spokesman said late Thursday.

Halyna Hutchins, 42 and the director of photography for the movie, died at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The film's director, Joel Souza, was hospitalized in Santa Fe, Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office spokesman Juan Ríos said.

A source closed to the investigation said Baldwin, 63, was questioned by investigators late Thursday and was seen by a New Mexican reporter and photographer in tears.

Investigators are still trying to determine if the incident was an accident, Ríos said. No charges have been filed, and the investigation remains open, Ríos wrote in a news release.

The prop was fired at Bonanza Creek Ranch, where filming was underway, the sheriff's office said in an early evening news release. Baldwin stars in the production.

Hutchins died from her injuries after she was flown to University of New Mexico Hospital, according to the sheriff's office. Souza was taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he is receiving emergency care, the sheriff's office said. Attempts to get comment from Baldwin were unsuccessful.

“We received the devastating news this evening, that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography on a production called ‘Rust’ in New Mexico died from injuries sustained on the set,” John Lindley, the president of the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600, and Rebecca Rhine, the executive director, said in a statement, as reported by Variety. “The details are unclear at this moment, but we are working to learn more, and we support a full investigation into this tragic event. This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild’s family.”

Deputies were investigating how the accident occurred and "what type of projectile was discharged," the sheriff's office said in an earlier news release.

Rust Movie Productions did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Filming for Rust was set to continue into early November, according to a news release from the New Mexico Film Office. It's described as the story of a 13-year-old boy left to fend for himself and his younger brother following the death of their parents in 1880s Kansas, with New Mexico doubling for Kansas.

Guns firing blanks have been blamed for deaths in past movie productions. Online Hollywood news site Deadline reported, "Actor Jon-Erik Hexum was killed Oct. 18, 1984, on the set of the TV series Cover Up when he accidentally shot himself in the head with a gun loaded with blanks. And in 1993, Brandon Lee, the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, died after he was shot in the head by a gun firing blanks on the set of The Crow. Both incidents were determined to have been accidents."

This is a developing story and will be updated.

 

[Getting tard comed]

Obviously something was fucked up in this instance since - you know - someone died.
But since when does an actor decide where the crew is standing?

He decided to pull the trigger.

I'm assuming the scene required him to shoot in the direction of the camera.

1) Pretty sure they weren't actually filming weren't actually filming.

The cinematographer and director usually needs to be at that area to get the shot right.

2) The cinematographer and director are not both there while they are filming to get the shot right. If they were filming the director is usually someplace further back looming at a monitor. If they are setting up the shot why would he pull the trigger?!?!

And if there's something stuck at the end of the barrel then it's a pure crapshoot where it lands.

We don't have to guess. It wasn't a crapshoot where it would land. There was a bullet in the gun.

But sure I wasn't there.

This is the first rational thing you've said. You weren't there. None of us were. It's a bad accident that couldn't have been perpetrated by a more deserving exceptional individual. It sucks she died. It's funny a gun control nut killed someone with a prop gun on a film set he was producing for failing to follow basic gun safety rules.

And that's assuming, since we don't know what happened, that this was a completely legit work accident and the most responsibility Alec has is pulling a trigger(WTF?!?!) on a rehearsal or set up shot and not fucking around being drunk or angry.

 

[Art Kassul]

he was really funny on 30 Rock tho

Yes, very true. Like with Parks and Rec, the stupid romance plots made those shows a chore though. Alec Baldwin is rumored to have been responsible for writing 100% of the romance plots on those shows. Is there no low he will not fluff?

 

[Just A Butt]

Adam

who?

 

[Just A Butt]

Alec Baldwin is rumored to have been responsible for writing 100% of the romance plots on those shows.

oh ok, i get it now, carry on

 

[byuu]

He decided to pull the trigger.

Yes, he decided to do what he's getting paid to do.

1) Pretty sure they weren't actually filming

Says filming in the OP. But even if it wasn't you'd still want to be sure to line up everything correctly.

2) The cinematographer and director are not both there while they are filming to get the shot right. If they were filming the director is usually someplace further back looming at a monitor. If they are setting up the shot why would he pull the trigger?!?!

Depends on the director and the scene. But getting down in the dirt up close is not unusual for a director.

We don't have to guess. It wasn't a crapshoot where it would land. There was a bullet in the gun.

Where does it say that?

This is the first rational thing you've said. You weren't there. None of us were. It's a bad accident that couldn't have been perpetrated by a more deserving exceptional individual.

Yet you seem 100% convinced that it must be his fault in some way.

on a film set he was producing for failing to follow basic gun safety rules.

You could make a joke about it and have fun with it but what I'm mostly seeing is serious sperging about it.
As if prop guns on a movie set have the same rule set than guns on a shooting range.

 

[spinch]

As if prop guns on a movie set have the same rule set than guns on a shooting range.

ppl really keep saying 'prop guns' like they aren't aware that any guns shot on a movie set are just regular guns.

usually any guns you see in a holster (like as part of a costume), being reloaded/carried around are prop guns. But any guns fired are just.... guns. modifying a gun that needs to be fired in any capacity is extremely dangerous so they don't do it.

Also, unrelated to Byuu's post, i'd also like to note that while Local 44 IATSE came out and said the props manager wasn't a member of Local 44- they didn't mention that he wasn't a member of IATSE period- or that he wasn't a member of Actor's Equity (which covers stage managers and other professionals, and AE members receive gun training.)

 

[Big Brown Schlub]

Hopefully his bloodlust is sated now

 

[Aib Ld]

Why are people putting the blame on Baldwin and inserting politics? He's filming a movie and surrounded by numerous staff, you can't not aim a gun, even as a prop, at anyone. It's still a gun. No matter what kind of gun it is.
It seems likely the props director fault, something fucked up from the props guy for that to happen. Same deal as what happened Brandon Lee.

 

[Sweet and Savoury]

There's conflicting info flowing around as usual.

Someone working on the set (but who declines to be named) said the cinematographer and the director were both right behind the camera, which makes sense to me. after all where else would a cinematographer be? And it's not unusual for the director to be in close to the main camera for certain shots so a single round could easily hit both.

Many directors have used the straight into the camera bullet shot so I would discount that as pretty normal set up and nothing risky or new fangled. Clint Eastwood must have done the exact same shot probably 20 times in his career.

While it is possible that Alec Baldwin was either goofing around or being a dick but he is an experienced actor whose worked with firearms many many times and would be very familiar with the proper usage and dangers so I'm going to discount anyone on Twatter saying he was playing with the gun or waving it around like some kinda dumb ass teenager.

I say wait for the police to release the details and my bet is either a faulty blank or the armorer really really fucked up but in Hollywood all live round are normally visibly marked and before the shot is done multiple people have to signed off that everything is safe to go. It's even the same with blanks, more then 1 person normally has to check and sign off that yes the weapon has been loaded with a blank.

Remember Hollywood stars are worth billions to studio's and they take zero chances on injuries that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars in delays and lost time. Many big stars are simply not allowed to even do their own stunts if they want to because an accident will delay the whole production and may sink the film.

My personal bet is a malfunctioning blank. It has happened in the past where the brass case of the blank has failed and fragmented during firing basically turning the pistol into a mini shotgun spewing chunks of brass out at high speeds.

Maybe get @TheDude to chip in as he's the forums standard gun nut?

edit: I know this shit because my buddy is a 2nd unit director and talks way too much about his shit.

 

[cantankerous jackalope]

Good work 47, now, find a way out

Holy shit lmao

Why are people putting the blame on Baldwin and inserting politics? He's filming a movie and surrounded by numerous staff, you can't not aim a gun, even as a prop, at anyone. It's still a gun. No matter what kind of gun it is.
It seems likely the props director fault, something fucked up from the props guy for that to happen. Same deal as what happened Brandon Lee.

I have friends that do theater and it's pretty common - even with a prop - to aim slightly off to the side.

 

[naaaaiiiiillllll!!!]

This is a very interesting story, but sadly we need to wait for more details to see how Alec shot the gun (if he was a diva and was throwing a tantrum and shot the crew, that reduces the sympathy and makes mocking him all the more funny). While that would be the most entertaining/scandalous option, it probably didn’t happen that way, which makes the story more sad than anything. Still, I like dark humor and the memes coming out are great.

If we have a recording of the incident, that would be doubleplus good.

It’ll be interesting to see how this union/scab staffing affects the story. Usually loud lefty Hollywood types love to virtue signal that they love unions (albeit, I feel like that’s changing now), but who knows.

Thread drama is also pretty fun — just in time as the Gabby/Brian fiasco is dying down (stories change, but the shitflinging remains).

 

[Milwaukee Macho Man]

I have friends that do theater and it's pretty common - even with a prop - to aim slightly off to the side.

It depends on the angle of the shot/audience, of course, but this is what we were taught in the few theater productions I was in.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

"Waaaahhhh! Why are people politicizing this?!" Pearl clutchers, lol.

Alec Baldwin has a long history of politicizing deaths involving guns, among everything else. It's not being randomly or unfoundedly political to point out the obvious irony in all of this.

 

[Nig Kang Theory]

I don't think anyone involved here deserved for this to happen to them (the victims, Baldwin, maybe even the props people depending on the situation). That said, I completely fail to understand how anybody there felt comfortable with a gun pointed at another person or at themselves, but that's probably only due to having undergone gun safety training like some other people have mentioned. I don't mean to dive into this thread in a debating way or anything, it's just a really sad situation and I wish somebody on set would have had the proper training or the sense to call things to a halt.

 

[Johan Schmidt]

Well this is horrible for everyone involved. Sad.

 

[Jaded Optimist]

He probably thought was aiming off, but he isn't a gun guy so his aim would suck. If it was shrapnel and not a bullet, then aiming off slightly wouldn't matter because it would fly straight anyways. 3rd point, if they are using antiques, the barrel might suck and again, aiming off wouldn't matter because it wouldn't shoot straight.

Oh and to everyone saying "they should be using fake guns and cgi", it's really hard to fake recoil and is very obvious when people do. It looks stupid and effects immersion.

 

[Absurdist Laughter]

Aren't blank-firing prop guns made to accommodate a specific caliber to prevent this sort of mix up?

Perhaps for starter pistols. Many guns used in big action movies are "blowback" pistols. Blowback meaning they used compressed gas to blow back the bolt/slide and sometimes even eject a prop casing. It is then up to the digital effects crew to add in muzzle flashes and what not. Considering this is a lower budget production, they were probably hoping to get an actual muzzle flash in camera. Blank firing rounds usually are made with actual cases meant to hold a bullet. A small charge of smokeless powder are loaded into the case along with a firing cap. On top of the layer of powder goes some sort of wadding; could be as simple as a bit of fabric. On top of that fabric is filler, could be paper, sand, something light weight that will lose velocity quickly once it leaves the barrel of the firearm. The most important part of all this is the way the casing is crimped closed. Think of a blank firing riund as a mini pipe bomb with one end compromised.

When loaded and fired, pressure builds up in the case and finds the path of least resistance expanding the crimped edge and rushing out the barrel. There are many places in this instance where things can go wrong. If the blank cartridge wasn't crimped correctly or the metal was fatigued at the bends, it could snap off during the explosion and be sent down the barrel. Basically firing fragmentation. Considering the circumstances, they probably didn't have a safety supervisor on set which lead to the accident. Could be, no one planned to have a gun fired at the camera, spur of the moment creative choice, etc.

For folks who need a visual or curious, this is the video I used to learn quick draw blanks. Same applies to any other blank pistol cartridge.

 

[DMX DA GOAT]

Breaking character to be serious for ONE second and powerlevel a bit

There have been incidents of casings/shells shattering and causing a blank to basically turn into a mini shotgun blast. So if that happened him aiming off target wouldn't matter much and possibly explain the double hit.

 

[spinch]

It depends on the angle of the shot/audience, of course, but this is what we were taught in the few theater productions I was in.

as a member of one of the unions, I will say you are correct. Especially in theatre. BUT in theatre there are even more obfuscations- as most of the actors/crew are in the wings which are generally blocked off by black curtains (and dark as hell) so sometimes that's just as dangerous.

Generally in anything that isn't broadway, though, they use completely fake guns or cap guns.

 

[Reporterward]

'Rust' crew describes on-set gun safety issues and misfires days before fatal shooting

At least one of the camera operators complained last weekend to production managers about gun safety on the set.

www.latimes.com

Hours before actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on the New Mexico set of “Rust” with a prop gun, a half-dozen camera crew workers walked off the set to protest working conditions.

The camera operators and their assistants were frustrated by the conditions surrounding the low-budget film, including complaints of long hours and pay, according to three people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment.

...

Labor trouble had been brewing for days on the dusty set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe.

...

The cinematographer who was accidentally killed, Halyna Hutchins, had been advocating for safer conditions for her team, said one crew member who was on the set.

...

“Corners were being cut — and they brought in nonunion people so they could continue shooting,” the knowledgeable person said.

There were two misfires on the prop gun on Saturday and one the previous week, the person said, adding “there was a serious lack of safety meetings on this set.”

Edit: If this info is true, this is devastating to Baldwin who was the film’s producer,
Now back to your normal tard wrangling of Kiwi experts talking past each other.