Outspoken Republican congresswoman and pro-gun activist Lauren Boebert is in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again after trolling actor Alec Baldwin over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust.
Hutchins, 42, was airlifted to hospital in New Mexico after being injured by a prop gun fired by Baldwin on the set of the Western film on Thursday, but was pronounced dead by medical staff.
An assistant director unwittingly handed Baldwin a loaded weapon and told him it was safe to use in the moments before the shooting, which also injured director Joel Souza, according to court documents.
Baldwin, who described the incident as a “tragic accident”, was questioned by law enforcement after the events, though no one has been charged for the incident.
Most people have been sending tributes to Hutchins following her death. But Boebert, who is also an avid Donald Trump supporter, instead used the opportunity to draw attention to one of Baldwin’s old tweets and make what appeared to be a joke about gun safety.
Baldwin has previously spoken out against gun rights activists, including in one tweet in 2014 in which he wrote: “I’m going to make bright, banana yellow t-shirts that read ‘My hands are up. Please don’t shoot me.’ Who wants one?”
On Friday, Boebert re-shared the tweet and wrote: “@AlecBaldwin are these still available? Asking for a movie producer…”
.@AlecBaldwin are these still available?
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 22, 2021
Asking for a movie producer… pic.twitter.com/AeE5VHLhqN
Unsurprisingly, the tweet was widely condemned, with one person writing: “To post such classless, hateful crap when a woman has lost her life in an accident is beyond shameful.”
Another wrote: “Of course Lauren Boebert would make the tragic death on the movie set an opportunity to make a joke. When it comes to class, she has none.”
Here’s a flavour of some of the other reaction:
Overheard: If you want to really understand that there is no soul to the GOP, on Twitter its ghouls from JD Vance to Lauren Boebert are gleefully mocking Alec Baldwin for the tragedy that occurred on set.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 22, 2021
Trolling Alec Baldwin after a tragic accident?
— Heather Gardner (@heathergtv) October 22, 2021
You’re officially the worst person in the world @laurenboebert https://t.co/nRHBLfBXWK
A woman is dead. Alec Baldwin is also a victim here.
— Leslieoo7 (@Leslieoo7) October 22, 2021
Were the likes worth disparaging the victim of an accidental shooting?
If so, your priorities are extremely misplaced.
Boebert appeared unapologetic, despite the backlash.
She later wrote: “I said what said. You crazy Blue Checks want to take away our right to defend ourselves with a firearm, and know NOTHING about basic gun safety!
“If this was a conservative celebrity you’d be calling for his head…”
As well as being a politician, Boebert runs a restaurant in Colorado in which staff members are encouraged to openly carry firearms. It is called, and this is not a joke, Shooter’s Grill.
She is no stranger to controversy – she was briefly suspended from Twitter after she posted tweets about the Capitol riots in January and some claim she is linked to conspiracy theorist group QAnon, which she denies. She has also spoken out against coronavirus restrictions and has been criticised for interviewing a member of the far-right group, Proud Boys.
She has also previously mocked the use of pronouns including “jokingly” demanding to be known as “congressman” and calling the Equality Act, which would ban discrimination against LGBTQ Americans, a “supremacy of gays.”
