Monday | October 25th, 2021
It’s Monday, October 25th, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:
1) New Details Emerge From Alec Baldwin Movie Shooting
The Topline: Last week, actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on the set of a new Western with what he’d believed to be a gun loaded with blanks. The director of the film, titled “Rust,” was also struck and has been treated and released from the hospital.
Angela Weiss/ANGELA WEISS/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
What Happened
Baldwin was on the set of the movie “Rust,” rehearsing a scene at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The set armorer — the person responsible for firearm props — had set three guns that were supposed to be loaded with blanks on a cart for the scene. None were supposed to have live rounds – typically referred to as “cold guns.”
The assistant director gave one of them to Baldwin to begin rehearsing. The second time Baldwin pulled the gun from a holster he was wearing, he pulled the trigger, striking and killing 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins, the director of photography, and injuring director Joel Souza.
Production on the film has been paused as the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office investigates further.
How It Happened
Live rounds are never supposed to be used on set.
It appears that a chain of protocols broke down in this situation. For example, the Actors’ Equity Association guidelines state, “Before each use, make sure the gun has been test-fired off stage.”
Reports say the assistant director said “cold gun,” when he handed Baldwin the prop, indicating it was safe to fire.
According to NBC, the assistant director has an “unsafe history.” There are also reports of crew members walking off the set a few days prior due to poor working conditions.
One of those who walked off was the props master, who would have been in charge of overseeing gun safety. The day of the accident was reportedly the new prop master’s first day.
Three crew members told The New York Times there had been at least two previous accidental discharges in the days leading up to the incident, which led a supervisor to complain about the safety practices on the set.
Legal Fallout
Baldwin not only shot the gun, but is also a co-producer for the movie, so it’s possible he could face some charges.
The fatal shooting could be ruled an
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