AFFIDAVIT: Alec Baldwin was practicing gun draw when he shot and killed cinematographer

It’s being reported from an affidavit that Alec Baldwin was practicing his gun draw when the gun discharged and he shot and killed 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins:

REUTERS – Alec Baldwin was drawing a revolver across his body and pointing it at a camera during rehearsal on the set of “Rust” when the weapon fired and struck the cinematographer in the chest, according to an affidavit released on Sunday.

The affidavit provided additional details about Thursday’s accidental shooting in New Mexico that killed 42-year-old Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Baldwin had been handed the prop gun and told it was unloaded, authorities in Santa Fe have said in court documents.

“Joel stated that they had Alec sitting in a pew in a church building setting, and he was practicing a cross draw. Joel said he was looking over the shoulder of (Hutchins), when he heard what sounded like a whip and then loud pop,” the affidavit read.

Hutchins was shot in the chest area, the document said.

“Joel then vaguely remembers (Hutchins) complaining about her stomach and grabbing her midsection. Joel also said (Hutchins) began to stumble backwards and she was assisted to the ground,” the affidavit adds.

Hutchins said she could not feel her legs, Reid Russel, a cameraman who was standing next to her at the time of the shooting, told officials.

According to a separate report, the person who gave Baldwin the gun and told him it was unloaded had been fired from another movie over a gun mishap:

In another revelation, a production company said the assistant director who handed Baldwin the gun and told him it was unloaded, had been fired from an earlier movie over a mishap with a gun.

Production company Rocket Soul said Dave Halls was removed from the set of the independent movie “Freedom’s Path” in 2019 after a crew member incurred a minor and temporary injury when a prop gun was unexpectedly discharged.

Halls could not be reached for comment.

It sounds like Baldwin and the others running this set made some bad decisions on who they hired as well as the working conditions on the set.

Police officers have recovered several boxes of live ammo from the set:

Detectives recovered what they described as loose and boxed ammunition from the Western movie set where actor Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed a cinematographer, according to an inventory of seized items that was released on Monday.

Authorities did not say what type of ammunition they removed from the set of “Rust” and whether it included live or dummy bullets or blank cartridges. The items included two boxes of “ammo,” “loose ammo and boxes” as well as “a fanny pack w/ammo.”

One of the central mysteries about the killing of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins remains what kind of projectile was fired from the gun and how it got there. Investigators hope a forensic analysis of ballistic evidence will shed light on those questions, Juan Rios, spokesman for the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department, said on Monday.

“This is a complicated case,” he said.

Over the weekend we told you that the gun used by Baldwin was said to have been a real gun used by crew members for target practice away from the set.


Comment Policy: Please read our comment policy before making a comment. In short, please be respectful of others and do not engage in personal attacks. Otherwise we will revoke your comment privileges.