Alec Baldwin fatally shoots cinematographer on set

[mrsd2006]

Baldwin sat for an interview with ABC News (why would you do this when it's still being investigated??)

www.yahoo.com/entertainment/alec-baldwin-interview-rust-shooting-202159907.html

He says he didn't pull the trigger... this makes no sense.

The real surprise, however, was George Stephanopoulos asking why he fired the gun when it wasn't in the script and Baldwin replied, "The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger."

So he never pulled the trigger? "No, no, no, no," Baldwin answered. "I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them, never." But there was no explanation beyond that.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Dec 1, 2021 19:37:13 GMT -5 mrsd2006 said:

Baldwin sat for an interview with ABC News (why would you do this when it's still being investigated??)

www.yahoo.com/entertainment/alec-baldwin-interview-rust-shooting-202159907.html

He says he didn't pull the trigger... this makes no sense.

The real surprise, however, was George Stephanopoulos asking why he fired the gun when it wasn't in the script and Baldwin replied, "The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger."

So he never pulled the trigger? "No, no, no, no," Baldwin answered. "I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them, never." But there was no explanation beyond that.

"the trigger wasn't pulled" is interesting wording.

[pugz]

Uhhhh what?!

[waverly]

Is he saying the gun went off without the trigger being pulled? Is that a thing?

[karinothing]

Dec 2, 2021 8:03:00 GMT -5 waverly said:

Is he saying the gun went off without the trigger being pulled? Is that a thing?

It can happen (accidentally discharged, defective gun, etc). Whether it happened in this case, who knows. 

[Deleted]

Dec 2, 2021 8:03:00 GMT -5 waverly said:

Is he saying the gun went off without the trigger being pulled? Is that a thing?

It’s technically possible but EXCEPTIONALLY rare. It’s more likely that the gun was being mishandled (ie: trigger pulled without meaning to).

[TR]

And wtf to Stephanopoulos not following up after such a weird answer? Maybe he did and Baldwin wouldn't answer or they couldn't have it air since there's an investigation going.

[mbcdefg]

Dec 2, 2021 11:22:02 GMT -5 TR said:

And wtf to Stephanopoulos not following up after such a weird answer? Maybe he did and Baldwin wouldn't answer or they couldn't have it air since there's an investigation going.

I’m wondering if a condition of the interview was that Baldwin’s team had to pre-approve all questions and maybe even the final video before it aired. (I didn’t watch the interview.)

[cous0226]

I just assumed that there is more to that answer but it’s
coming tonight.

[Deleted]

I’m just now seeing more of the interview, AB said that he pulled the hammer back (not fully cocking the weapon) then released it, and the gun went off. It’s definitely possible (still unlikely, but possible) for the hammer to strike the firing pin in a faulty weapon in this type of scenario.

[mcmel]

Dec 3, 2021 8:37:54 GMT -5 @villainv said:

I’m just now seeing more of the interview, AB said that he pulled the hammer back (not fully cocking the weapon) then released it, and the gun went off. It’s definitely possible (still unlikely, but possible) for the hammer to strike the firing pin in a faulty weapon in this type of scenario.

I heard a clip of the interview this morning on my way to work and isn't that exactly how a gun operates? The trigger just pulls the hammer back. So he acted as the trigger. I don't fully understand guns (obviously) but I've seen in movies where the actor just uses their hand on the top part of the gun to rapid fire and never pulls the trigger at all. 

[cville]

One of three things is true.

1. The gun was faulty and, therefore, Alec Baldwin should never have been able to handle it.

2. Alec Baldwin doesn't actually understand how guns work and, therefore, Alec Baldwin shouldn't have picked up a gun and messed around with it.

3. Alec Baldwin is pulling a Hillary/Hilaria and finely dicing facts to create a new version of "truth" that he already believes.


No matter what, someone is dead and that is a senseless tragedy. And Alec Baldwin needs to shut up.

[cville]

Dec 3, 2021 9:04:54 GMT -5 mcmel said:

Dec 3, 2021 8:37:54 GMT -5 @villainv said:

I’m just now seeing more of the interview, AB said that he pulled the hammer back (not fully cocking the weapon) then released it, and the gun went off. It’s definitely possible (still unlikely, but possible) for the hammer to strike the firing pin in a faulty weapon in this type of scenario.

I heard a clip of the interview this morning on my way to work and isn't that exactly how a gun operates? The trigger just pulls the hammer back. So he acted as the trigger. I don't fully understand guns (obviously) but I've seen in movies where the actor just uses their hand on the top part of the gun to rapid fire and never pulls the trigger at all. 

It depends on the gun. But for old west guns, often the trigger also releases the hammer. That means if he pulled the hammer back, it would take far less force to jostle/pull the trigger on purpose or accidentally. Or if he dropped the hammer (again, accidentally is possible) it could set off the firing pin.

[lemoncupcake]

Dec 3, 2021 9:20:40 GMT -5 cville said:

One of three things is true.

1. The gun was faulty and, therefore, Alec Baldwin should never have been able to handle it.

2. Alec Baldwin doesn't actually understand how guns work and, therefore, Alec Baldwin shouldn't have picked up a gun and messed around with it.

3. Alec Baldwin is pulling a Hillary/Hilaria and finely dicing facts to create a new version of "truth" that he already believes.


No matter what, someone is dead and that is a senseless tragedy. And Alec Baldwin needs to shut up.

Also, did the gun have an actual, real bullet in it? Or has that not been released yet and it could have been a blank bullet?

[cville]

Dec 3, 2021 9:30:36 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Dec 3, 2021 9:20:40 GMT -5 cville said:

One of three things is true.

1. The gun was faulty and, therefore, Alec Baldwin should never have been able to handle it.

2. Alec Baldwin doesn't actually understand how guns work and, therefore, Alec Baldwin shouldn't have picked up a gun and messed around with it.

3. Alec Baldwin is pulling a Hillary/Hilaria and finely dicing facts to create a new version of "truth" that he already believes.


No matter what, someone is dead and that is a senseless tragedy. And Alec Baldwin needs to shut up.

Also, did the gun have an actual, real bullet in it? Or has that not been released yet and it could have been a blank bullet?

A blank can kill someone, so I'm not sure how much that matters. But I think the assertion is that maybe residual stuff from an old blank wasn't cleared out? I'm not sure.

[lemoncupcake]

Dec 3, 2021 9:33:05 GMT -5 cville said:

Dec 3, 2021 9:30:36 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Also, did the gun have an actual, real bullet in it? Or has that not been released yet and it could have been a blank bullet?

A blank can kill someone, so I'm not sure how much that matters. But I think the assertion is that maybe residual stuff from an old blank wasn't cleared out? I'm not sure.

I think it matters for adding a #4 to your list - that he never should have been giving a gun for blocking a scene that wasn’t properly cleared and confirmed it had an empty chamber.

[thedutchgirl]

Dec 3, 2021 9:30:36 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Dec 3, 2021 9:20:40 GMT -5 cville said:

One of three things is true.

1. The gun was faulty and, therefore, Alec Baldwin should never have been able to handle it.

2. Alec Baldwin doesn't actually understand how guns work and, therefore, Alec Baldwin shouldn't have picked up a gun and messed around with it.

3. Alec Baldwin is pulling a Hillary/Hilaria and finely dicing facts to create a new version of "truth" that he already believes.


No matter what, someone is dead and that is a senseless tragedy. And Alec Baldwin needs to shut up.

Also, did the gun have an actual, real bullet in it? Or has that not been released yet and it could have been a blank bullet?

It was a real bullet. It sounds like it was one that may have come from the armorer's father, via a prop supplier, from a separate production where the father was the armorer.


www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rust-investigation-looks-live-rounds-armorer-thell-reed-rcna7162

[bears]

Dec 3, 2021 9:34:31 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Dec 3, 2021 9:33:05 GMT -5 cville said:

A blank can kill someone, so I'm not sure how much that matters. But I think the assertion is that maybe residual stuff from an old blank wasn't cleared out? I'm not sure.

I think it matters for adding a #4 to your list - that he never should have been giving a gun for blocking a scene that wasn’t properly cleared and confirmed it had an empty chamber.

To add #5: As the most high-profile actor and EP, Alec Baldwin had a responsibility that any workplace he was in was a safe one for everyone.

[sonrisa]

I'll add a #6- memory is tricky and unreliable, especially around emotionally charged events. His self report of what happened is only so helpful - even if it is what he honestly believes happens.

And I'll reiterate your last point. No matter what, someone is dead and that is a senseless tragedy.

[Deleted]

I’ll add a #7: We don’t need to be using firearms on movie sets, and don’t need to be making movies with gun violence in them. I know, there will probably be some exceptions that depict historical scenes, etc, but I’m sure a prop gun (with no firing capability) would suffice in those rare instances that a gun MUST be depicted on film.

[Deleted]

Dec 3, 2021 9:04:54 GMT -5 mcmel said:

Dec 3, 2021 8:37:54 GMT -5 @villainv said:

I’m just now seeing more of the interview, AB said that he pulled the hammer back (not fully cocking the weapon) then released it, and the gun went off. It’s definitely possible (still unlikely, but possible) for the hammer to strike the firing pin in a faulty weapon in this type of scenario.

I heard a clip of the interview this morning on my way to work and isn't that exactly how a gun operates? The trigger just pulls the hammer back. So he acted as the trigger. I don't fully understand guns (obviously) but I've seen in movies where the actor just uses their hand on the top part of the gun to rapid fire and never pulls the trigger at all. 

Modern guns will not shoot by simply moving the hammer/cocking/de-cocking. Im not sure about this specific gun or older guns. It’s possible that if AB had handled newer guns, he may have had negative transfer if this older gun was unsafe to handle that way (ie: he did an action he was familiar with as “safe” and in this case it may not have been). That’s a LOT of speculation. I don’t know any of that to be true.

[sonrisa]

Dec 3, 2021 12:11:54 GMT -5 @villainv said:

I’ll add a #7: We don’t need to be using firearms on movie sets, and don’t need to be making movies with gun violence in them. I know, there will probably be some exceptions that depict historical scenes, etc, but I’m sure a prop gun (with no firing capability) would suffice in those rare instances that a gun MUST be depicted on film.

I'm going to quote this so VV's wisdom appears twice. Yes. yes. yes.

[waverly]

Dec 3, 2021 12:15:30 GMT -5 @villainv said:

Dec 3, 2021 9:04:54 GMT -5 mcmel said:

I heard a clip of the interview this morning on my way to work and isn't that exactly how a gun operates? The trigger just pulls the hammer back. So he acted as the trigger. I don't fully understand guns (obviously) but I've seen in movies where the actor just uses their hand on the top part of the gun to rapid fire and never pulls the trigger at all. 

Modern guns will not shoot by simply moving the hammer/cocking/de-cocking. Im not sure about this specific gun or older guns. It’s possible that if AB had handled newer guns, he may have had negative transfer if this older gun was unsafe to handle that way (ie: he did an action he was familiar with as “safe” and in this case it may not have been). That’s a LOT of speculation. I don’t know any of that to be true.

I agree.  With the video and sound editing technology we have nowadays, there is no reason to have real guns on set at all.  They could be literally a toy fake gun with no firing capability at all.  Toy guns look so realistic anyway at this point. 

[carmenere]

Dec 3, 2021 9:30:30 GMT -5 cville said:

Dec 3, 2021 9:04:54 GMT -5 mcmel said:

I heard a clip of the interview this morning on my way to work and isn't that exactly how a gun operates? The trigger just pulls the hammer back. So he acted as the trigger. I don't fully understand guns (obviously) but I've seen in movies where the actor just uses their hand on the top part of the gun to rapid fire and never pulls the trigger at all. 

It depends on the gun. But for old west guns, often the trigger also releases the hammer. That means if he pulled the hammer back, it would take far less force to jostle/pull the trigger on purpose or accidentally. Or if he dropped the hammer (again, accidentally is possible) it could set off the firing pin.

I also suspect it's unlikely that someone who's in gun-toting, old west character is practicing good trigger discipline. cville's 3 possibilities aren't mutually exclusive and we definitely don't need real firearms on set.

[pixy0stix]

Update - Baldwin has just been charged with involuntary manslaughter - kdvr.com/news/nationalworld-news/prosecutors-to-announce-decision-in-rust-shooting-by-alec-baldwin/

[mrsslocombe]

Bumping-Alec Baldwin and the lead armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed have been charged with involuntary manslaughter:
www.tmz.com/2023/01/19/alec-baldwin-involuntary-manslaughter-rust-fatal-shooting-charges-district-attorney/

[gretchenindisguise]

Whoa. Honestly didn't see it coming that Baldwin would be charged.

[bears]

I'm glad they are charging Baldwin and the armorer for the deaths. While it was an accident, it happened due to some really gross negligence. Baldwin, as the biggest star and a producer, had a responsibility to create a safe environment. There had been issues with crew hours/driving safety prior to this and it's just indicative that they were WAY more focused on cost savings rather than safety. The armorer seemed too inexperienced and not serious enough for the job she held with disastrous consequences.

[bronxgirl]

Wow, I didn't see that coming. It's refreshing to see some accountability.

[maudefindlay]

The FBI and DA are confident Baldwin pulled the trigger. His insistence that he did not pull the trigger is what has dragged this out.