Alec Baldwin's denials of pulling trigger in 'Rust' tragedy 'a load of crap,' film weapons expert says
Some legal analysts have said Baldwin did himself no favors with previous comments on the 'Rust' shooting
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A weapons safety expert with lengthy experience on film sets called Alec Baldwin's denials that he pulled the trigger of the revolver in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer "a load of crap."
Steve Wolf, who was involved in investigations into previous accidental movie set shootings including that of Bruce Lee's son Brandon in 1993, told Fox News there is no way the particular gun Baldwin was handling could have fired without him putting pressure on the trigger.
Baldwin notably claimed last year to ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that "The trigger wasn't pulled – I didn't pull the trigger … No, no, no, no, no, I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them – never."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When asked by "The Story" anchor Martha MacCallum about the "Hunt For Red October" actor's claim, Wolf replied "load of crap."
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Alec Baldwin (Mark Sagliocco/Getty)
"I think [this] is as much as I can say on family television," he said, adding the FBI and other investigators have confirmed there was no defect in the particular weapon handled by Baldwin on the New Mexico set.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wolf, however, said he would cede the fact that the weapon requires a "very light trigger-pull" to fire, but noted that still required even a little pressure from the actor's fingers.
"What I think happened, and based on some of the footage that I saw from the rehearsal, is that Alec was holding the gun with his finger through the trigger guard. So his finger was resting on the trigger," he said.
"And a gun of this type, if your finger is resting on the trigger, when you pull the hammer back, the hammer will drop and fire. And I think that's what happened. So I think not intentional, but, you know, deadly nonetheless."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wolf suspected there was general negligence of gun safety procedures.
Anyone who handles a firearm should check the gun, even if others claim to have previously checked it, he said, adding that David Halls – the first assistant director who reportedly agreed to a plea deal in the incident – reportedly announced "cold gun" when handing it to Baldwin.
"Cold gun" means the gun was not loaded with live ammunition, which later turned out to be false as cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Halls' call "should have meant nothing to Alec," Wolf said. "Alec knew that Dave Halls was not his armorer. It'd be no different than, you know, if the mail boy came up and yelled ‘cold gun’ and handed it to him."
Alec Baldwin is interviewed by former Clinton White House staffer and ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos. (Jeff Neira/ABC via Getty Images)
Baldwin has himself long been critical of the Second Amendment right to bear arms, frequently attacking the Virginia-based National Rifle Association and sparring with gun rights advocates on Twitter.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In 2018, Baldwin joined fellow liberal celebrities Amy Schumer, Jimmy Kimmel and more than 100 others in the "NoRA" (No Rifle Association) initiative criticizing the pro-Second Amendment organization, according to the Guardian.
The initiative was meant to tamp down on the NRA's influence in politics following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School near Fort Lauderdale, Fla.