County and state officials exit the Santa Fe County Public Safety Building in New Mexico before a news conference to update members of the media on the shooting accident on set. Rust.
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Sam Wasson / Getty Images
County and state officials exit the Santa Fe County Public Safety Building in New Mexico before a news conference to update members of the media on the shooting accident on set. Rust.
Sam Wasson / Getty Images
For months, actor Alec Baldwin has said he didn’t pull the trigger on a gun that shot and killed a crew member while they were filming in New Mexico. But new forensic evidence may tell a different story.
The FBI recently completed and sent the report to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, which is handling the investigation. Officials discovered that the weapon, that is, a prop, could not be fired without pulling the trigger.
Baldwin’s attorney called the FBI’s findings “misunderstood,” adding that the gun in question was in “bad condition,” in a statement to NPR.
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation into the shooting is ongoing and so far no one has been charged with misconduct.
What happened and Baldwin’s reaction
The incident happened in October, when Baldwin was rehearsing a scene in suburban Santa Fe for an upcoming western, Rust. At the time, the actor was practicing how to draw a pistol and point it at the camera. When gunA bullet struck and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and the film’s director, Joel Souza, and wounded.
According to NPR documents, the state medical examiner identified a gunshot wound to Hutchins’ chest and attributed her death to an accident.
In one interview at prime time to ABC News last winter, Baldwin denied claims he pulled the trigger. “I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger on them. Never,” he said.
“Someone has to be responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who,” Baldwin added. “But I know it’s not me.”
Some lawsuits are ongoing
After the fatal incident, the Hutchins family filed a petition unjust death against Baldwin and the manufacturing company.
Others who were on set when Hutchins was killed, including the film’s script supervisor, the main camera operator, and the production’s chief medical officer, were file a lawsuit about the trauma they have experienced.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s weapons officer, also file a lawsuit against an ammunition supplier for including live ammunition in a cartridge that was supposed to include only props.
Baldwin’s attorneys also filed for arbitration against the production company, alleging that the actor’s contract language included protect him from any charges or claims against him. They are also seeking insurance for his legal fees.
Rust Movie Productions also challenge accusations conducted by the New Mexico Department of Occupational Safety and Health, fine film production company nearly $137,000 for violating safety protocols at work.
A spokesman for the state office told NPR that the company had not yet “cooperated” and had yet to pay the fine.
What the latest forensic report shows and what’s next
According to the FBI report, the gun in question “couldn’t fire without pulling the trigger” while the hammer was tilted in the 1/4-and-a-half position.
Ballistic analysis also found that the weapon “cannot fire without pulling the trigger while the internals are intact and in good working order” when it is fully upgraded.
Baldwin’s lawyer Luke Nikas said: “He was told by the person in charge of safety on set that the gun was ‘cooled’ and believed it was safe.
Gutierrez-Reed’s attorney, Jason Bowles, told NPR in a statement, “Newly released FBI reports indicate the pistol was in good working order and Baldwin had to pull the trigger to fire the pistol, contradicting directly with his earlier statements.”
Bowles said Baldwin “ignored” Gutierrez-Reed’s request for draw training, which would prohibit pointing a weapon at anyone or placing his finger on the trigger during the draw.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told NPR detectives are still waiting to receive and review phone records. Once completed, the case file will referred to district attorney to review and make a final charging decision.
