Why would the cinematographer be in a scene that would require them to be shot at, even accidentally?
The cinematographer and director are behind the camera so it means he was shooting toward the camera.
And why would he shoot again when the first person was shot?
I agree and if you go by the rumor's someone cocked it. Meaning he had to pause long enough between shots to cock it again. The first person would have been screaming I've been shot alerting him to a real fucking bullet. Why shoot again, knowing that?
It is an old west movie, meaning a six-shooter. He had to consciously cock it a second time to make the second shot.