Actor Shot by Alex Baldwin firing a Prop Gun

[Hallam]

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/21/10482...arm-new-mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. — The director of photography on a movie starring Alec Baldwin has been killed and the film's director injured, according to the sheriff's office of Santa Fe County, N.M. They were shot by a prop firearm that was discharged by Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, the sheriff's office statement says.
Halyna Hutchins, 42, the director of photography, was airlifted to the University of New Mexico hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The second victim, director Joel Souza, 48, was being cared for at Christus St. Vincent Medical Center.

[Paul Pless]

wow

seriously ****** up

[Ted Hoppe]

That is horrible news. what prop master would even think about a loaded weapon on set ... damn.

[Reynard38]

Isn’t this how Brandon Lee died?

[Canoeyawl]

That's a bad deal.
fools with firearms

[Canoeyawl]

Ya know...
when I have a gun in my hand I know if it is loaded or not

[johnw]

Should have used a popgun, not a propgun.

[David G]

Ya know...
when I have a gun in my hand I know if it is loaded or not

Too many cooks?

[hawkeye54]

Isn’t this how Brandon Lee died?

And Jon-Erik Hexum

[C. Ross]

The only way to stop a bad Baldwin brother with a gun is a good Baldwin brother with a gun.

Too soon?

[JayInOz]

I want to know who loaded the gun. I want to know how he managed to shoot two people with it. And I also want to know what he was doing pointing it at the production team. If it was an actor during a shooting scene that might be a little more explainable. And yes explainable is a word- now.

[Jim Bow]

In Brandon Lee’s case, the director wanted a close up of the revolver pointing at Lee’s head. The prop crew loaded the pistol with bullets from which the powder had been removed. To the closeup camera, the pistol looked loaded. But the crew had failed to remove the primers. The trigger was pulled, and …

[Dave Wright]

All guns are loaded always, no exceptions. Baldwin is an asshole.

[skuthorp]

Likely, following standard practice in the industry, there should be and likely are several layers of responsibility, ultimately the film's armourer who I thought handed out set weapons as needed for a scene and then took them back. I wonder if a sub has happened? Someones carelessly left about their personal weapon?

[isla]

Just waiting for people to start muttering that it was set up by a Trump supporter to embarrass Baldwin because of his comic portrayal of Trump on SNL.

[JTA]

Not sure why they keep saying “prop gun”. This was a real gun. Not a prop

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

This must surely be a case of the “swiss cheese” - the holes lined up.

[willmarsh3]

Very tragic, RIP Halyna Hutchins.

[JTA]

It would be a prop gun if he shot an actor. The damn DP is dead. Her family will tell you she wasn’t killed with a prop.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

I don’t think anyone was necessarily to blame.

[Figment]

My understanding of prop-guns is that the blanks fired are not like starter-pistol blanks.... While they don't have a projectile, they are loaded with a significant charge in order to give the desired visual and sound effect, and at close range are still very dangerous. They're treated with considerable caution and respect, especially since the Brandon Lee tragedy.

[TerryLL]

I don’t think anyone was necessarily to blame.

How about the armorer on the set. This film was a western, so there were many guns to look after. It's unlikely the film crew did not include a designated armorer.

[wizbang 13]

they need the prop/gun guy from john wick

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

I'd like to hear Adam Savage's take on this mess

[L.W. Baxter]

baldwin seems like a big enough jerk to circumvent normal prop gun supply and handling...

[woodpile]

All guns are loaded always, no exceptions. Baldwin is an asshole.

Yes, gun rule no.1, never knew "prop gun" ammo was live ammo, you are correct on Baldwin.

[Paul Pless]

baldwin seems like a big enough jerk to circumvent normal prop gun supply and handling...

seriously?

[L.W. Baxter]

seriously?

i dunno. just my impression.

[ron ll]

Guns are a lazy substitute for a good plot.

[Breakaway]

Originally Posted by Dave Wright

All guns are loaded always, no exceptions. Baldwin is an asshole.

Having grown up with guns , I agree with the first part.
But if someone did not grow up with guns, or otherwise use guns in life, I would not expect that person to be of the same mind. We don't know what we don't know.

Kevin

[Paul Pless]

i dunno. just my impression.

i like the way he makes right wingers heads explode

[CWSmith]

Why do they use guns that are capable of firing? If all you want is a pop, you can still block the barrel.

[Gerarddm]

She was a cinematographer, not an actor. Still...

It's a terrible tragedy.

[Peerie Maa]

Why do they use guns that are capable of firing? If all you want is a pop, you can still block the barrel.

They wanted the muzzle flash and smoke.

Still, CGI would have given them that, at a cost to the budget.

[David G]

All guns are loaded always, no exceptions. Baldwin is an asshole.

In almost all cases, yes. In a film, as a prop, when the pro in charge says 'safe'... no.