By now I assume everyone has seen or heard the reports so there's no need for me to link an article. Baldwin was handed a prop gun that was supposedly "cold," unloaded or containing only blanks. It was not. It discharged, killing the cinematographer and wounding the director.
The spin doctors are in full cycle with this story. All the blame is being directed at the prop person while Baldwin himself is portrayed as a secondary victim for the guilt and trauma that has resulted.
This is bullshit. Or, bollocks, if you prefer.
The number one rule of safe gun ownership is to NEVER point a gun at another human being unless you intend to shoot them. You ALWAYS assume the gun is loaded, even if you are convinced it is not.
The second rule of safe gun ownership is the person holding the gun is ALWAYS responsible for what does or does not fire out of it. Not the armorer, not the prop person, not the shooting instructor. You hold the gun, you own what it does.
Yes, it was a horrible accident but yes, Alec Baldwin is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. One does not preclude the other.
He was between takes and thought it best to point a gun at another person and pull the trigger. Even with blanks that's incredibly dangerous and goes against every safe handling instinct and rule out there. Even if He thought it wasn't loaded with any kind of cartridge it doesn't make it ok. There's no pass for this within the firearms community.. He obviously does not respect the firearm and what it is capable of, and there is some doubt in my mind Baldwin respected the individuals hurt by his actions. You just don't do something like that. Ever.