Alec Baldwin Will Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in ‘Rust’ Killing

[wdfifteen]

I don't understand the animus towards Baldwin. He swears he never pulled the trigger, but did pull the hammer back. They said the FBI never examined the gun for modifications, just pronounced that it couldn't go off without a trigger pull. They are now re-examining the gun for modifications.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

The armorer is for sure the biggest culprit. I can't imagine how there was any live ammo allowed anywhere near the set for any reason.

I agree. CNN interviewed a movie set armorer who said, "Blanks and live ammo shouldn't be in the same zip code together, let alone on a movie set."

[Steve Carlton]

I read online that there is supposed to be an update today. The New York Post is reporting that the trigger was replaced. The idea of a repaired or modified gun amazes me:

https://nypost.com/2023/04/20/new-trigger-on-rust-prop-gun-before-fatal-shooting-caused-misfire-report/

Even if Baldwin didn't pull the trigger, there is lots of blame to go around. It seems like nobody took their job or responsibility seriously. I worry we may never know some of the key facts, such as why there was live ammunition on set.

[Rick Lee]

Replacing the trigger wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't pulled it. Triggers don't pull themselves. I have replaced plenty of triggers in my guns and none have fired by themselves. They all require me to act before firing - dry or hot.

[Arizona_928]

What about the fact that the fbi destroyed the trigger making it inoperable...

[Rick Lee]

Shouldn't matter. Could be an 11 lbs pull, could be a 3 lbs pull. There's no such thing as a 0 lbs pull trigger. They all require a pull and, even if it malfunctioned, the hammer had to be thumbed back for it to fire. This stuff can only happen with human action.

[Steve Carlton]

Would it have been likely the FBI testing could have broken the original trigger, assuming the gun was in good shape? Or did it break because it was damaged/defective/aftermarket? It's disappointing that this far along we basically cannot rely on the testing that was done. I'd be curious to know how this modification/replacement trigger information is just now coming out.

[Rick Lee]

Again, why does it even need to be tested? The gun did not load itself, did not aim itself, cock its hammer back by itself ...... Until they start making 0 lbs pull triggers and with AI that makes the gun fire itself, it doesn't matter what kind of trigger was in the gun or how well it functioned or malfunctioned.

[Steve Carlton]

It seems to matter to a lot of people whether Baldwin pulled the trigger or not. He acknowledges he pulled back the hammer, and when we released the hammer, the gun went off. Personally, I don't think it matters if he accidentally pulled the trigger. The safety protocols should have allowed for that, or him pointing the gun the wrong way. I think Baldwin's problems arise from accepting the gun from an unauthorized person and possibly if he had responsibility for the proper safety being performed by the crew.

If a lot of people understand that Baldwin may have not pulled the trigger, the hostility towards him might subside.

Edit- all the facts will potentially help, especially if there's a criminal or civil trial.

[911 Rod]

With my single shot Cooey shotgun, if you pull the hammer back and let go of it before it clicks it will fire.
Can this handgun be the same?

[Rick Lee]

Of course. Lots of guns work that way, even some modern ones. It's not a flaw or a bug, it's a feature.

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Of course. Lots of guns work that way, even some modern ones. It's not a flaw or a bug, it's a feature.

So it could have gone off without him pulling the trigger.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

So it could have gone off without him pulling the trigger.

But not without his cocking the hammer back. It cannot fire without a human causing it to fire.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by 911 Rod

With my single shot Cooey shotgun, if you pull the hammer back and let go of it before it clicks it will fire.
Can this handgun be the same?

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Of course. Lots of guns work that way, even some modern ones. It's not a flaw or a bug, it's a feature.

At least an explanation.

[creaturecat]

have to figure out another way to "get even" for the SNL skits. i guess.

[Jeff Higgins]

The FBI determined, unequivocally, that this specific gun absolutely would not fire unless the trigger was pulled after the hammer was cocked, or held back as the hammer was cocked and then released. When they received the gun, it was in fine working order, unmodified, nothing broken, nothing repaired or replaced. So, please, put that one to bed - Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger, or he was holding it back as he cocked the hammer.

I have spent a lifetime with these revolvers, Single Action Colts and their "clones" (this one was such a "clone"). I've been handling and shooting them literally since I was six years old. Dozens of them have gone through my hands, with several having been permanently added to my modest collection. I have literally tens of thousands of rounds through these things, maybe over a hundred thousand. I'm here to tell you - there is absolutely no way on God's green Earth that one of these could possibly go off without either pulling the trigger after having cocked the hammer, or by holding the trigger back while cocking and subsequently releasing the hammer.

Baldwin pulled, or was holding back the trigger. Period.

[Steve Carlton]

Investigators effectively conducted an autopsy of the Colt .45 revolver and found that there were worn joints and that the trigger control was not functioning properly, according to the source.

It became evident to prosecutors the gun could fire without pressure on the trigger, according to the source.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/gun-fatal-set-rust-shooting-mechanically-improper-source/story?id=98760315

[Arizona_928]

And since the fbi broke the trigger. Prove that it is false...

[stevej37]

I suspect that if the movie is ever released....it will be a huge money-maker.

The publicity from this will guarantee it.

[Steve Carlton]

Sounds like it was a POS gun.