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After Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer on set and injured another, an eyewitness has shared their account of events.
The accident took place on Thursday, October 21, at the film set for the 19th Century western movie, Rust.
Baldwin reportedly fired a prop gun, fatally injuring the director of photography Halyna Hutchins who, despite being rushed to hospital, sadly died from her injuries. The film’s director, 48-year-old Joel Souza, also suffered injuries as a result of the accidental shooting.
An eyewitness of the incident has since spoken about the incident, sharing what Baldwin’s reaction was after he realised what had happened.
The eyewitness told Showbiz411 a single bullet was discharged and resulted in the injuries sustained by both crew members.
They reported that Baldwin was ‘in shock but composed’ and kept asking why he had been given a ‘hot gun’ – a ‘hot gun’ is usually a term used to describe a gun with real ammunition inside of it, though it is not yet clear if the accident was a result of a real bullet or a blank.
Baldwin was also rushed to hospital according to the source, and had ‘no idea how badly they were hurt’.
Hollywood armorer Mike Tristan, who has 30 years of experience, told the MailOnline it was the responsibility of the armorer on set to make sure the gun was not ‘hot’.
He said:
There should have been blanks in the gun, the on-set armorer’s job is to check that before handing the weapon over.
They then make sure that the actor stands on a mark and never points the gun at the crew or cast… the editing makes it seem like they were pointing at their co-actor.
That’s why everyone in the industry is very confused. How this happened is a total mystery at the moment.
Tristan has even worked with Baldwin before on a set, saying he was a ‘total professional’ and ‘very safe’.
Baldwin was questioned by police after the fatal shooting, however he has not been arrested or charged in relation to the incident.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: Film and TV, Alec Baldwin, Shooting
Showbiz411
MailOnline