The Rookie is all about high-stakes policing, but one day on set, the drama got way too real. Actual gunshots rang out nearby, forcing production to halt as real LAPD officers rushed in. What was meant to be a scripted cop show suddenly turned into a genuine emergency.
The incident was so intense that it pushed the team to rethink safety measures.
Real gunfire halts The Rookie filming, prompts immediate ban on live weapons
Things got intense on the set of The Rookie when real gunfire erupted during filming in Los Angeles. The shoot was interrupted as multiple gunshots hit a building near the crew, sending police flooding into the area.
The incident happened near Hartford Avenue and West 5th Street. Witnesses reported hearing three shots, while others claimed the gunfire was just a block from the set. LAPD confirmed that two suspects fired toward security officers, but by the time police arrived, they were long gone (per Deadline). Thankfully, no one from the show was injured.
After the chaos, production packed up and moved to a new location. But The Rookie didn’t just relocate; it made a major safety change. Effective immediately, the show banned all real guns and “live” weapons on set.
Showrunner Alexi Hawley made the call in a memo, stating (per The Hollywood Reporter),
As of today, it is now policy on The Rookie that all gunfire on set will be Air Soft guns with CG muzzle flashes added in post…There will be no more ‘live’ weapons on the show. The safety our cast and crew is too important. Any risk is too much risk.
Moving forward, all gunfire scenes will use Air Soft guns with CGI muzzle flashes added in post.
This decision came just after the Rust tragedy, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot by a prop gun fired by Alec Baldwin (reported by TVLine). That accident put Hollywood’s use of firearms under scrutiny, pushing productions to rethink their safety measures.
With The Rookie’s new policy in place, it’s clear — real bullets have no place on a film set.
Nathan Fillion teases chaos ahead in The Rookie season 7
Things are about to get even messier in The Rookie. Nathan Fillion just hinted that John Nolan and his team aren’t catching a break anytime soon.
Speaking with TV Insider, Fillion teased the return of some familiar foes. “We’re going to revisit some villains that we’ve met in the past,” he shared, name-dropping Bridget Regan’s Monica and Matthew Glave’s Oscar.
Meanwhile, episode 10, Chaos Agent, has fans on edge. A prison break during a blackout puts Tim, Angela, and Wade in serious danger. And when Smitty is attacked, it’s enough to send the fandom into a full-blown panic.
With The Rookie delivering its wildest season yet, fans are now hoping for a season 8. Fillion, for one, is ready to keep the drama coming.
Watch The Rookie on Hulu & Apple TV.
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