There have been a lot of conversations had regarding safety on sets in Hollywood since the pandemic hit. These days, though, film sets are more increasingly concerned with firearm safety. This is due to the tragic loss of life on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Rust. Smallville actor John Schneider has now explained in depth how a gun, and more specifically, a colt, can’t fire itself in a video seemingly disputing Baldwin’s previous claim.
The actor who played Superman’s adoptive father in Smallville has recently created a video showcasing the ins and outs of gun safety and how to handle a gun once handed one. John Schneider posted the video to his Youtube account in order to really show that everything to do with a colt, from shooting to loading, is an intentional act. You can check out the full 7 minute video below:
This explanation of the colt needing intention to be loaded and fired seems to dispute Alec Baldwin’s claim that he never pulled the trigger. While John Schneider is not claiming Baldwin is being untruthful, he is explaining why that would be unlikely. However, he does go through a couple situations that could have happened without a traditional trigger pull, like a finger already being on the trigger when the gun is cocked.
A trigger pull isn’t the only issue with the Rust tragedy that doesn’t seem to sit right with people, John Schneider included. Many people handled the gun that ended the life of director of photography Halyna Hutchins with live ammo being introduced somewhere along the way, which should never be the case. While there is speculation of an intentional tragedy, lack of gun safety knowledge is certainly at play here at the very least.
In the video, you can see John Schneider dismantle the gun in a way that he says everyone should once they are handed a gun. This way, the person handling the gun knows exactly what is inside the gun and has several points in which they can make sure the gun is empty. Schneider says that, yes, this process is a “pain in the butt”, but it is what is necessary to make sure everyone around the gun is safe.
The person behind the camera, who seems to be the owner of the gun, does mention that he has never had the gun apart. It’s possible the gun has never been fired or thoroughly handle. But going off the person’s statement, it’s reasonable to believe that because he has never been as thorough with the gun as John Schneider is being, that it’s not as common as Schneider believes it should be to be that thorough in checking a gun.
In fact, it can be hard to imagine every single person who handles a prop gun to take it apart and spend the time to check a gun that was already supposed to be deemed safe. This would seem to be an issue where John Schneider is concerned, and there are plenty of people in the comments of his video in agreement.
Blame for the tragedy is being thrown in many directions, but it would seem as though John Schneider is trying to claim misconceptions of how a colt would work and whether it could simply misfire. The only crystal clear thing about this case, though, is how loved Halyna Hutchins was and that her loss is one that will be felt for some time.
