Black Twitter Chimes In After Alec Baldwin Kills Film Crew Member With Prop Gun, Injures Director On Movie Set
The film world, folks on social media and especially the actors, directors and staff on the film set of Rust, a movie being filmed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, are currently grappling with an on-set tragedy after one of the movie’s stars, veteran actor and producer Alec Baldwin, fired a prop gun that killed one crew member and injured another on Thursday.
NBC News reported that 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins, the film’s director of photography, was killed in the incident, while 48-year-old director Joel Souza was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover from his wounds.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in an incident involving a prop gun on the set of “Rust,” an Alec Baldwin film that was shooting in New Mexico on Thursday. https://t.co/7Xybp84H8M pic.twitter.com/3gz6pDvePz
— Variety (@Variety) October 22, 2021
“There was an accident today on the New Mexico set of ‘Rust’ involving the misfire of a prop gun with blanks,” a spokesperson for Baldwin said in a statement. “Production has been halted for the time being. The safety of our cast and crew remains our top priority.”
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Baldwin was seen outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office after the shooting distraught and in tears. According to the New York Post, witnesses heard him frantically asking repeatedly how he could have been given a “hot gun” to use.
Alec Baldwin issues statement on fatal on-set shooting that killed a film crew member when he fired a prop gun. pic.twitter.com/HJXZSRBQtk
— Michael Pegram (@MichaelPNews) October 22, 2021
No arrests have been made, but the local sheriff’s office said the investigation is still ongoing.
So, how the hell did this happen exactly?
Well, Hollywood weapons expert Larry Zanoff told NBC that a number of things may have gone wrong. He said that even though firearms used as props on TV and film sets are only filled with blank cartridges, smoke and burning embers can get propelled out of the gun, which is why people should maintain a minimum safety distance of 20 feet in front of the muzzle.
“There should be nothing in front of it when filming is occurring with firearms,” Zanoff said.
“We have a series of guidelines in the industry that govern the use of blank firearms and ammunition on set,” he continued in explaining that prop guns should be inspected before and after each scene and that protocol should always include a safety briefing. “So my question is, of course, firstly, was that protocol followed?”
As we know, the incident with Baldwin isn’t the first time this has happened.
In 1993, during the filming of The Crow, actor Brandon Lee, son of iconic martial artist Bruce Lee, was also killed after he was shot with a prop gun.
The family of late actor Brandon Lee, as well as many others in Hollywood, spoke out after the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set on Alec Baldwin movie, ‘Rust.’ https://t.co/Z9Q11WzWda
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) October 22, 2021
That also wasn’t the first time it happened.
In 1984, actor Jon-Erik Hexum died in what was supposed to be a fake game of Russian roulette with a fake pistol loaded with blank and empty cartridges on the set of the TV show Cover Up.
Accidental death of Jon-Erik Hexum remembered in wake of Alec Baldwin set shooting https://t.co/MDSJZrkqst
— The Independent (@Independent) October 22, 2021
The incident with Baldwin has prompted a number of interesting takes on Twitter, with some believing the media coverage of the shooting would read differently if the shooter were Black.
Alec Baldwin better be spending a good amount of time in jail. An accident doesn’t null a crime. Black people know this very well since 1 out of 9 of them fill our jails.
— Ronny (@HiPerspectives) October 22, 2021
What y’all think the headline would be if it was *insert any black male lead here* instead of Alec Baldwin? pic.twitter.com/Yl98FWEm2l
— $hut Up Cha$e (@ThaTopLookinUp) October 22, 2021
Others argued the other side of that coin in saying that media outlets are actually being more direct in tying Baldwin to the shootings than they are when police officers are involved in a shooting.
Alec Baldwin is being more directly linked in headlines to the on-set death than most police officers who shoot unarmed black people typically are.
— Daily Trix (@DailyTrix) October 22, 2021
Two headlines 10 days apart.
When Alec Baldwin shoots someone accidentally, he’s the one doing the shooting, actively.
When a police officer shoots someone intentionally, it’s always the victim who “is fatally shot.” pic.twitter.com/qwycIYum5a
— David Chen (@davechensky) October 22, 2021
Re: yesterday’s tragic mishap, it’s interesting that media outlets have no problem using active language around Alec Baldwin shooting someone by mistake, but just cannot avoid passive language when cops shoot someone on purpose
— Felipe De La Hoz (@FelipeDLH) October 22, 2021
At the end of the day, this was a horrendous tragedy and one where there isn’t yet enough information available to determine exactly how it happened, let alone how everyone should feel about it.
Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.
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