Alec Baldwin fired prop gun ***trigger?

Another possibility is small debris could be in the gun that, even small, could turn into a deadly projectile at close range. I was told this has actually happened before.

I know this sounds like something out of a cheesy mystery, but the actor could possibly sabotage the gun - or possibly accidentally create a problem during the check. Anybody who messes with the gun after the expert hands the gun to the actor and announces “cold gun on set” (and then the director immediately says “Action”) dilutes that expert’s safety guarantee and his responsibility to the production. It can no longer be claimed that the gun’s - or any prop’s - last expert check was right before using. 

I'm going to respectively disagree with this. If he had checked, he would have seen that there was a live round in that gun and he would not have shot and killed someone.
Actors using real guns, because they do use real guns and not just prop guns, should be taught to know what a live round and a blank look like and then be responsible for checking it themselves. If he had, this tragedy would not have happened. Ignorance is no excuse when educating oneself is possible and IMO necessary in this instance.

I just fundamentally disagree.  They absolutely should not rely on random actors to be taught all the aspects of weapons and bullets/blanks etc used in MOVIE making. Gun owners are completely disregarding that most normal gun safety protocols are essentially thrown out the window on a movie set. No responsible gun owner I know is aiming a gun at someone's face and pulling the trigger just because they have a camera in their hand. But that is what happens on movie sets regularly. The studios hire an expert to insure the correct gun is used in the correct situation with the correct ammunition or lack thereof. I don't believe for a second that having actors and actresses inspecting, modifying or otherwise messing with the gun after the armorer gives it to them would enhance safety.  

So if Alec had done a visual inspection of the bullets, that would not have enhanced safety?? How about if he had done that, he never would have fired the live round and killed that poor woman.

“That’s assuming he would’ve known the difference, like someone trained in them would.”

(Sorry, I can’t quote from my phone)
But that is my point. The actor holding and “firing” the gun should absolutely be able to look, see and KNOW that what he sees is a blank. It’s not rocket science, it doesn’t take a degree. It’s only a visual inspection. A safety measure that in this case would have krr we pt someone from dying and kept the actor from living with that’d guilt for the rest of his life. He could have completed the safety check in 30 seconds or less. I’m astonished that anyone thinks it’s wrong for the one firing the gun should also not be responsible for checking the rounds. Why not add that additional layer of safety?
No degree required, learn what a blank and live bullets look like. Check the gun before “firing” it. Done.

Bingo. There’s so much potential extrapolation that’s been running through my head the last day.

As a teacher who’s also a responsible homeowner and licensed driver, I never checked the heat register…the carbon monoxide detector…the legs of student chairs…the maintenance indicator lights on the school bus dashboard.

Actors are not checking stunt cars they’ll “crash” into an occupied car because they’re licensed drivers…checking the padding the other guy will fall onto when they “hit” him…checking that the camera operator is strapped into the crane used for an overhead shot they’re in. 

It wasn’t my job at work. It isn’t their job at work. Actually, it even MORE isn’t their job because of the existence of very specific safety protocols and safety jobs on set. And they shouldn’t be expected to know about any weapon any more than they should be expected to know about collapsible fenders. 

Continuing to criticize somebody for following the rules is insisting on blaming that person for this death, which is grossly unfair. Gun owners are not some sacrosanct group, so they don’t get to assess blame and encourage flouting rules on the job simply because of their often-vaunted responsible personal gun ownership. 

If people have such a problem with the protocols about guns on sets, they need to do two things: 1. Start blaming the right people, the experts, a.k.a. the actual stand-in gun owners on the set…or the producers…or the industry standards, and 2. Apply their actor expectations equally to ALL props and stunts. Instead, they’re inventing rules/expectations indiscriminately and then blaming somebody for not following them.  

I think some people here want to blame Alec because it is easier than admitting that people who *do* know better made a mistake. It really isn't as uncommon as they want to believe. Perhaps that makes them feel better about having them in their home and possession?

Because it is common for people to try to find answers or explanation for why something couldn't/wouldn't happen to them.  Such as "that person was doing something reckless and I don't, so therefore what happened to them won't happen to me."

I found this article interesting as it talks about all the different types of effects one is trying to recreate with prop guns - it's not as simple as just is it loaded with blanks or not. It also makes very clear that they were some serious issues with this situation as multiple experienced armorers have stated live ammunition is never supposed to be on set or used. From a recent news article there was live ammunition on set. You're also dealing with an extremely inexperienced armorer who is reporting to an assistant director fired for previous safety issues. I still believe the idea that you're going to rely on actors for safety is not helpful - I hold Alec Baldwin much more responsible as a producer than as the one with the gun in his hand.

www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-2532-i-teach-famous-actors-to-shoot-guns-and-hopefully-not-die.html

*I* would never fire a gun on set without first checking it. I would trust the person who gave it to me to have done their job, but I am the one with the weapon in my hand. I would check it. Doing my own makeup, manning a camera, or feeding the crew doesn't have the potential to kill another human.

Not only assume, but he was told it was “cold” ie safe. I have major issues with people handling guns irresponsibly but in this case based on currently available information Baldwin was following set protocols in place on movie sets that are supposed to ensure the safety of everyone on set. The person who handed the gun to Baldwin admitted to police that he did not check all chambers and ensure it wasn’t live ammunition before handing the gun to Baldwin and telling him it was cold.

Relying on untrained/semi-trained actors for understanding the intricacies of all the different guns and setups for guns on set would be even more of a disaster than what happened in Rust. There are safety protocols set up by professionals who are responsible for all the guns and those protocols should be followed by everyone on set. The actor is simply a hand on a movie set when there are guns involved, and the gun is the responsibility of the armorer.

Baldwin was not responsible for the gun, the armorer was. And that's the safest way to handle it on a set with dozens of guns, dozens of actors, and different shots going on all the time. That's why they set it up that way. Obviously the protocols weren't followed, and that is why this accident occurred.