(LibertySociety.com) – Western movies involve outlaws and law enforcement wielding guns and shooting out their conflicts during bar-room brawls or on the street at high noon. On the set of one such film, “Rust,” a scene that was supposed to include a safe prop gun turned deadly when Alec Baldwin shot a live round, injuring one and killing another.
When the crew handed the weapon to the actor, they conveyed it was “cold,” meaning it contained no live rounds. It seems clear, now, someone skirted regular safety protocols that could’ve prevented the accident. The incident also raises questions: How did live ammunition end up in a prop gun, and why are dangerous weapons still used on set?
The accident came after crew members raised concerns about safety conditions on set.
Two #Rust crew members told the L.A. Times that, less than a week earlier, a stunt double had fired two accidental prop gun discharges after being told the gun was “cold”https://t.co/47h0WFvxjZ
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 25, 2021
It’s not like this is the first accident of its kind, either. Brandon Lee was killed on the set of “The Crow” in 1993 by a prop gun, and so was Jon-Erik Hexum while filming “Cover Up.” With the advancement of technology and computer-generated imagery (CGI), some question whether using weapons in films is an outdated and dangerous practice.
Although these accidents are rare because of the protocols and training typically in place, even blanks have gunpowder in them that can “injure or kill.”
In this case, Halyna Hutchins is dead, and her family will want to know who’s to blame. Although the investigation is ongoing and should reveal how this tragedy happened, some question the extent of Baldwin’s liability. Certainly, his actions show he feels sorrow for the accident, but should he be held legally responsible?
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