BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — A stuntman was accidentally shot dead on Monday while filming Aussie hip-hop group Bliss n Eso’s new music video in Brisbane.
Hours before his untimely death, Johann Ofner had been playing around set — posting videos to Instagram showing the prop weapons, and even joking that they were faulty, the Courier-Mail reported.
An armorer had supplied the firearms, which were mostly plastic replicas. One shotgun was real, though loaded with blanks, and came with a warning that it shouldn’t be pointed directly at anyone.
Despite that, Ofner was reportedly shot from less than 2 meters away — close enough for the blanks to blow holes through his chest.
Paramedics were called to the scene, but couldn’t save the 28-year-old stuntman.
Ofner’s death has led authorities to investigate whether safety protocols were followed in the lead-up to the shooting.
Ofner had been set to appear on reality TV series “Australian Ninja Warrior.” He leaves behind a girlfriend and a 6-year-old daughter.
