There were multiple steps that anybody with any common sense, and even the basics of gun safety training could have taken that would have prevented that.

Number one, when you take possession of the weapon it's your weapon. You know whether it is cleared, or in film lingo is "cold," because you check it.

There are now multiple reports from gun safety experts that work on sets that talk about the way the procedure is supposed to be and that procedure makes perfect sense. A "cold" weapon is shown to everybody that could possibly be injured. In that case, the armorer would show the weapon "cold" with the cylinder open and no rounds inside to the assistant director before handing it off. The assistant director would show the weapon with the cylinder open and no rounds inside to the intended target actor or in this case cinematographer, as well as the actor firing the prop weapon. The actor receiving the weapon would visually ensure that the weapon is "cold," prior to taking possession, or double checking after.

And then there is this most important fact, you don't have to point a weapon at another actor or crew member ever because they know how to use camera angles. They can use production values and camera angles to keep the barrel of the weapon from ever flagging another human being.

Alec Baldwin negligently shot and killed another human being. And the only thing he had to do to not do that was verify the gun was "cold" and never point it at another human being.

The dude shot and killed a woman. Do I think this is first degree murder? Of course not. Do I think there was criminal negligence? I did from the start, but hearing other professionals who work movies routinely describe what should have occurred, almost certainly.