As of: 25.10.2021 8:07 a.m.
The US police have released the first details from the investigation into the death of the camerawoman Hutchins during a western shoot. There are calls in Hollywood to ban live ammunition on film sets.
After the fatal shot of actor Alec Baldwin while shooting a film, the police have released the first details from two investigation reports. Accordingly, an assistant director had assured actor Baldwin when handing over the pistol that it was a “cold weapon” without ammunition. The assistant did not know that there was a cartridge in the weapon, the report said.
The second report quotes statements by director Joel Souza, who was also injured in the accident. He had confirmed that a new camera crew had to be hired on Thursday morning because a team previously deployed had left production. The “Los Angeles Times” reported that employees on the set complained about inadequate safety precautions and should have left the production facility in protest.
Security Incident Reports
Well-known US actor Baldwin apparently accidentally shot 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on Thursday when he was shooting a prop weapon while filming the western “Rust” in New Mexico.
The assistant director who gave Baldwin the gun had already violated safety standards in an earlier production, a technician for special effects and pyrotechnics told NBC on Sunday. US media also reported criticism of the 24-year-old weapons master, who was responsible for the proper handling of all weapons on the set. “Rust” was only the second film she was involved in in this capacity. Both set employees are now apparently in the focus of the investigators.
Debate on the ban on firearms
Meanwhile in Hollywood there are increasing calls for a ban on dangerous firearms on film sets. A petition on the change.org website calling for a firearms ban and better working conditions for film crews was signed by more than 15,000 people. It said there was “no excuse for something like this to happen in the 21st century”.
California Senate Democratic MP Dave Cortese called for a law banning live ammunition on California film sets. The state is the linchpin of the US film industry. The first productions have already reacted: The police drama “The Rookie” from Los Angeles decided to ban live ammunition from the set with immediate effect, as the industry journal “The Hollywood Reporter” reported.
Meeting with the bereaved
Actor Baldwin now met with the nine-year-old son and the husband of the killed camerawoman Hutchins. The New York Post newspaper published a photo allegedly showing Baldwin hugging Hutchins’ husband while meeting at a Santa Fe hotel on Saturday.