Broadway’s ‘The Lion King’ propmaster arrested, accused of making 3D-printed gun in theater

Ilya Vett, a puppet technician for Broadway’s “The Lion King,” has been arrested after he was allegedly found 3D-printing a revolver in a theater’s prop room.

Security at the Minskoff Theatre found the printer and an incomplete printing of the gun and called police, the New York Daily News reported. According to the complaint obtained by TheWrap, officer James Taylor saw the printer “powered on, moving and in operation” on Friday.

Finding a memory card that was plugged into the side of the printer, the 3D printer was making an object that “has a hand grip and a pointed, snub-nosed nozzle, and in between the two features, an empty space where it is customary for a cylinder holding live rounds of ammunition to be placed.”

According to the complaint, Vett brought the printer to work because his workshop is “too dusty.” He told officials he was making the gun as a gift to his brother.

“He lives upstate and has a firearms license,” he said. “There’s a website that has plans for the gun. I downloaded the plans onto the SD card in the printer.”

Vett was arraigned Saturday on a single count of attempted criminal possession of a firearm. He was released on his own recognizance. Vett has not yet responded to requests for comment. TheWrap has also reached out to the theater.

In August, a federal court prohibited a Texas company from sharing blueprints that could allow people to print plastic guns. According to the NY Daily News, many are worried that 3D printed firearms would be untraceable.

“A gun made from plastic is virtually undetectable in metal detectors and other security equipment intended to promote public safety at airports, sporting events, courthouses, music venues and government buildings,” U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik of Seattle said in his order.

Vett will next appear in New York Criminal Court on Nov. 7.