Explainer | Alec Baldwin film set shooting: What are prop guns and how can they kill?
- Blanks used in such weapons often have more gunpowder than that of regular bullets, and can still inflict serious injury – or worse
- The death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins has prompted debate on whether prop guns should still be allowed on film sets
The Alec Baldwin-involved fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on a New Mexico movie set has reignited talk of prop gun safety, while the film world mourns the death of the 42-year-old cinematographer.
Hutchins, who was killed on Thursday when Baldwin discharged a prop gun on the set of Rust, is not the first person to die from a stand-in firearm.
Others, including the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, were also killed in prop gun accidents.
No charges have been filed following the shooting on the Rust set. Joel Souza, the film’s director, was also injured in the incident.
What are prop guns?
The term prop gun refers to guns used for entertainment purposes. Some are fake guns that only produce smoke, while others are real guns used as props, entertainment news website The Wrap reported. The gun Baldwin was handling contained blanks, according to NBC News.
