Liberal science publisher Johannes Josephus Marinus Velterop, who has a verified account on Twitter, posed without evidence on Friday that a supporter of former President Donald Trump secretly planted live ammunition in a prop gun actor and co-producer Alec Baldwin shot on the set of “Rust,” killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
Velterop’s conspiracy theory details a Trump supporter seeking revenge on Baldwin for making fun of Trump on “Saturday Night Live.” Again, there is no evidence for the floated theory.
“Might the prop gun have been secretly loaded with real bullets by a Trump supporter, to punish Alec Baldwin for his Trump parodies?” posed Velterop. “Should be a line of inquiry.”
After push-back online, Velterop doubled-down and suggested Trump supporters were dismissing his evidence-free theory because it’s “too close to the bone.”
“Why is it only MAGA-types that vehemently dismiss this as one of the possible causes?” he wrote. “Too close to the bone?”
“[By the way], I do hope it was just an accident, but it’s America after all,” Velterop added.
Why is it only MAGA-types that vehemently dismiss this as one of the possible causes? Too close to the bone?
Btw, I do hope it was just an accident, but it's America after all.— Johannes Velterop ⓐⓊ 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇬🇧🇩🇪😷 (@Villavelius) October 22, 2021
It appears the conspiracy theory was flagged by users on the social media site, but Twitter sided with Velterop, saying the post “is not subject for removal under Twitter rules.”
Nice to know. pic.twitter.com/o9W2DGfdyT
— Johannes Velterop ⓐⓊ 🇪🇺🇳🇱🇬🇧🇩🇪😷 (@Villavelius) October 23, 2021
As highlighted by The Daily Wire on Monday, the prop gun that Baldwin fired on Thursday was reportedly given to him by a crew member who was the target of a 2019 safety complaint.
“Maggie Goll, a prop maker and licensed pyrotechnician, said in a statement that she filed an internal complaint with the executive producers of Hulu’s ‘Into the Dark’ series in 2019 over concerns about assistant director Dave Halls’ behavior on set. Goll said in a phone interview Sunday that Halls disregarded safety protocols for weapons and pyrotechnics and tried to continue filming after the supervising pyrotechnician lost consciousness on set,” The Associated Press reported.
“Goll asserted that Hall eschewed holding safety meetings, repeatedly did not tell the crew there was a firearm on the set, and dismissed the actors numerous times before they had returned some weapons to the props table,” The Daily Wire noted.
Baldwin on Friday released a statement addressing the incident.
“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” the statement read. “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family.”
“My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna,” the actor added.
Related: Union Says Alec Baldwin Shot ‘Live Round’ In On-Set Fatal Incident; Report Notes ‘Clarity’ Needed