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'SYSTEMIC FAILURE'

How Rust film death caused by ‘dangerous’ gun could have been avoided, according to ex-cop who worked on Terminator

A FORMER cop who worked on Terminator: Salvation has blasted what he called a "systemic failure" on the set of Rust that led to one crewmember being killed and its director injured.

Paul Szych, a retired Alburquerque Police Department Commander, told The Sun that a "breakdown" in fundamental safety protocol led to Alec Baldwin, 62, fatally shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, on Thursday.

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The shooting happened on the set of Rust on Thursday, leaving a cinematographer dead and the director hurt
The shooting happened on the set of Rust on Thursday, leaving a cinematographer dead and the director hurtCredit: AP
Paul Szych (pictured on the set of Terminator: Salvation), a retired Alburquerque Police Department Commander, told The Sun that the incident wouldn't have happened if not for a 'systemic failure'Credit: Paul Szych

Rust's director, Joel Souza, was also hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. He was later discharged.

Calling the shooting an "unthinkable tragedy", Szych said the fatal incident never would've happened if armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, and other members on set had been following the industry's strict safety practices.

"This [only] happens due to a systemic failure to ensure live ammunition is not introduced into the environment," he said.

"The only individuals who should be armed with live ammunition on a movie set is the security detail whose job is to ensure the security of the set and all persons on the set."

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Read our Alec Baldwin shooting live blog for the very latest news and updates...

How a live round came to be loaded in the gun used by Baldwin remains unclear.

Halyna and Souza were shot while Baldwin was practicing a "cross draw" technique and pointing the weapon towards the camera, an affidavit states.

Souza recounted to investigators working on the case that he heard the phrase "cold-gun" as the weapon handed to Baldwin by assistant director Dave Halls.

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The term is meant to indicate that a weapon is safe to shoot and not loaded with live rounds.

'BREAKDOWN' OF CONTROL

As per the document, Souza revealed he had no recollection of whether the "revolver" was actually checked after a lunch break prior to the tragic incident that took place on October 21, 2021.

Souza explained that the firearms on the film set normally go through a safety check process: Armorer Hanna Gutierrez-Reed checks the guns first, followed by Halls.

Also in the affidavit, Detective Kano wrote: "Joel [Souza] said there should never be any life rounds, near or around the scene."

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