Alec Baldwin wants a police presence on all sets where guns are being used.
The actor, who fatally shot “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last month when he fired a gun mistakenly loaded with live bullets, made the public plea Monday as Hollywood scrambles to avoid another catastrophe.
“Every film/TV set that uses guns, fake or otherwise, should have a police officer on set, hired by the production, to specifically monitor weapons safety,” he tweeted from his locked account.
After the accidental shooting, which also injured director Joel Souza, both Dwayne Johnson and “The Rookie” showrunner Alexi Hawley banned live guns from their sets.
State Sen. Dave Cortese, D-Silicon Valley, chair of the California Senate’s Labor Committee, announced late last month that he plans to introduce legislation to ban live ammunition and firearms that are capable of firing live ammunition from movie sets and theatrical productions.
“There is an urgent need to address alarming work abuses and safety violations occurring on the set of theatrical productions, including unnecessary high-risk conditions such as the use of live firearms,” he said in a statement.
The sister of Brandon Lee, who was similarly shot in a gun mishap on the set of “The Crow” in 1993, has also called for the ban of live weapons.
“Hollywood, I know you know that guns that fire blanks on sets also unnerve and injure people. They create a lot of tension and anxiety for all involved,” Shannon Lee wrote in an essay for Variety last week.
“I’ve talked to some who are relieved now that their production is moving away from real firearms and blanks. Innovating away from real firearms could be seen as a level of care for the basic stress and mental health levels of cast and crew.”
Local police have launched an investigation into the “Rust” shooting but no charges have been filed yet.
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