For anyone who has heard the horrific news of an on-set shooting involving Alec Baldwin over the last week, it is a tremendously horrible situation. We should all mourn the passing of the crew member who was incidentally shot and passed away plus another crew member who was injured. Alec Baldwin is openly know for being extremely anti-gun so while hilarity and memes ensue when someone like him does this, we should still respect the families who are mourning. Overall, this should be a teaching moment for all.
Movie sets are supposed to never have live ammunition on-set. Also, they are supposed to never have firearms that have a real barrel; one where a bullet can actually travel down them. The barrels are supposed to be plugged or obstructed so it is impossible for a live round to ever be fired even if a live round accidentally made it on-set. Additionally, there is supposed to be someone specifically tasked with handling all of the firearms – fake or not – used in a film and maintain that they are safe for all actors to be using. This individual would be the movie’s armorer. Finally, whether you are on the set of a movie or not, you should be following the 4 Rules of Gun Safety at all times. Clearly, from top to bottom, there are a lot of issues that occurred for Alec Baldwin to have shot 2 people on the set of a movie, but that could have all been prevented if everyone followed the 4 Rules of Gun Safety. So, it is a very appropriate time to review the 4 Rules. The 1st rule is to watch the muzzle of the firearm and point it in a safe direction at all times. You never want to “flag” or point a firearm at anyone at any time. The 2nd rule is to treat every firearm as if it were loaded; treat it with respect and care. This means that you check to verify a firearm is unloaded and you do not just errantly pull the trigger. The 3rd rule is to be sure of your target and what is behind it at all times. This means that whether you are defending yourself, hunting, or even on the set of a movie that you understand where you are pointing a firearm and the implications of where a round might land. Finally, the 4th rule is to keep your finger off the trigger until you are absolutely ready to shoot.
Again, it is appalling, surprising, hilarious, and saddening to some people that someone as anti-gun as Alec Baldwin would shoot and kill someone, but this should be a teaching moment that everyone at all times needs to be practicing the 4 Rules of Gun Safety. Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!
