Entertainment

Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ Set Saw Two Previous Accidental Discharges Before One That Killed Woman

(Photo by Mark Sagliocco/Getty Images for National Geographic)

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
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The movie set on which actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer and wounded a director had several prior accidental discharges, according to reports.

Following the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, sources said the set of “Rust” did not follow safety standards that are standard in the industry, according to the Los Angeles Times. One camera operator reportedly complained to a production manager about gun safety issues on set.

An additional three crew members who worked on the Bonanza Creek Ranch set said prior to the fatal shooting they were concerned about accidental discharges after Baldwin’s stunt double accidentally fired two rounds while under the impression the gun was not loaded, according to the report.

“There should have been an investigation into what happened,” one crew member told the Los Angeles Times. “There were no safety meetings. There was no assurance that it wouldn’t happen again. All they wanted to do was rush, rush, rush.”(RELATED: ‘My Heart Is Broken’: Alec Baldwin Speaks Out After Killing Woman With Prop Gun On Set)

One set-worker even told the unit production manager that the set was “super unsafe,” according to texts reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.

“We’ve now had 3 accidental discharges. This is super unsafe.”

Rust Movie Productions said they had not been informed of set safety but would now be conducting a review while production is down, according to the report.

The gun that Baldwin used in the deadly shooting had been used as a recreational firearm off-set, according to TMZ. The off-the-set shooting used real bullets, sparking speculation that it lead to a live round in Baldwin’s weapon, according to the report. One source told the outlet authorities found both live rounds and blanks in the same area on set.

Baldwin was reportedly told the firearm was “cold” before firing, meaning it had no live rounds, CNN reported. Assistant Director David Halls handed Baldwin the gun, according to the report. Halls was reportedly unaware there was a live round in the gun.

Baldwin was rehearsing a scene in which he had to point a revolver “towards the camera lens” in a “cross drawing” maneuver. Hutchins and Director Joel Souza were behind the camera when Baldwin pulled the gun out of the holster before it discharged, The New York Times reported, citing the police affidavit.

Hutchins stumbled backward before the crew and medical personnel tried to stop the bleeding. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Souza was also struck by a bullet and was taken to the hospital. He has since been released.