Alec Baldwin's 'prop firearm' kills one, injures another

Sheriff's office: Alec Baldwin discharged prop gun that killed crew member, wounded director

Baldwin is one of the film's star actors and producers. He went to the sheriff's office willingly and provided a statement to investigators, sheriff's office spokesman Juan Ríos said.

www.santafenewmexican.com

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Actor Alec Baldwin discharged a "prop firearm" that killed a cinematographer and injured a the director of the movie Rust, being filmed on a set south of Santa Fe, a county sheriff's office spokesman said late Thursday.

Halyna Hutchins, 42 and the director of photography for the movie, died at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. The film's director, Joel Souza, was hospitalized in Santa Fe, Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office spokesman Juan Ríos said.

A source closed to the investigation said Baldwin, 63, was questioned by investigators late Thursday and was seen by a New Mexican reporter and photographer in tears.

Investigators are still trying to determine if the incident was an accident, Ríos said. No charges have been filed, and the investigation remains open, Ríos wrote in a news release.

The prop was fired at Bonanza Creek Ranch, where filming was underway, the sheriff's office said in an early evening news release. Baldwin stars in the production.

Hutchins died from her injuries after she was flown to University of New Mexico Hospital, according to the sheriff's office. Souza was taken to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, where he is receiving emergency care, the sheriff's office said. Attempts to get comment from Baldwin were unsuccessful.

“We received the devastating news this evening, that one of our members, Halyna Hutchins, the Director of Photography on a production called ‘Rust’ in New Mexico died from injuries sustained on the set,” John Lindley, the president of the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600, and Rebecca Rhine, the executive director, said in a statement, as reported by Variety. “The details are unclear at this moment, but we are working to learn more, and we support a full investigation into this tragic event. This is a terrible loss, and we mourn the passing of a member of our Guild’s family.”

Deputies were investigating how the accident occurred and "what type of projectile was discharged," the sheriff's office said in an earlier news release.

Rust Movie Productions did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Filming for Rust was set to continue into early November, according to a news release from the New Mexico Film Office. It's described as the story of a 13-year-old boy left to fend for himself and his younger brother following the death of their parents in 1880s Kansas, with New Mexico doubling for Kansas.

Guns firing blanks have been blamed for deaths in past movie productions. Online Hollywood news site Deadline reported, "Actor Jon-Erik Hexum was killed Oct. 18, 1984, on the set of the TV series Cover Up when he accidentally shot himself in the head with a gun loaded with blanks. And in 1993, Brandon Lee, the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, died after he was shot in the head by a gun firing blanks on the set of The Crow. Both incidents were determined to have been accidents."

This is a developing story and will be updated.

 

[Mike Stoklasa]

FINALLY
View attachment 2663020

Who the fuck wrote this?

"It was an antique-era appropriate gun."

You fucking mong; "It was an antique, era-appropriate gun."

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

@Menotaur
Everything you've said has been absolutely false & hilariously ignorant; like a 12 yr old who's been listening to also-ignorant adults talk, but has no real experience or grasp of the concepts being discussed. Just stop, kid; you're not impressing anyone.

The pistols are identified as Antique Period Pistols. Normally something like that would be a rental from a historic weapon supplier. Most guns for film and tv are rentals. But the old stuff. 19th Century guns those are either rentals from a specialty provider or they are loaners/rentals from a private collection.

I know, it was a rhetorical question. But still...

 

[Meat Target]

Criminal charges are possible, says DA
(Archive)

SANTA FE, N.M. — The Santa Fe County district attorney said on Tuesday that she was not ruling out criminal charges in last week’s fatal shooting on a film set. The actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing with a gun that he had been told did not contain live ammunition when it went off, killing the film’s cinematographer and wounding its director.

“We haven’t ruled out anything,” the district attorney, Mary Carmack-Altwies, said in a telephone interview. “Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table.”
Ms. Carmack-Altwies said that the investigation was focusing on ballistics in an effort to determine what kind of round was in the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins, the cinematographer — and who had placed the ammunition in the gun.

“There were an enormous amount of bullets on this set, and we need to find out what kinds they were,” Ms. Carmack-Altwies said. Detectives said that they recovered three revolvers, spent casings and ammunition — in boxes, loose and in a fanny pack — while executing a search warrant on the set, according to an inventory of the items released on Monday. The inventory did not specify what kind of ammunition was found on the set.

Ms. Carmack-Altwies took issue with descriptions of the firearm used in the incident as “prop-gun,” saying that the terminology, which is used in some of the court documents related to the case, could give the misleading impression that it was not a real gun.

“It was a legit gun,” she said, without naming specifically what kind of firearm was used. “It was an antique-era appropriate gun.”

Detectives from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office are proceeding carefully with the investigation, she said, citing the large number of witnesses and the need to methodically collect ballistics and forensics evidence.

 

[Mike Stoklasa]

He isn't being charged not because he is Baldwin but because he is in an environment that has a system in place that takes the onus off of the actors - all actors - and rightly so because demanding that Actors become experts on knowing the difference between live rounds, black rounds, rounds with wadding etc. is just silly.

That is a completely deranged take. Gun ownership and use requires complete responsibility from every person that touches the weapon.

Baldwin, the armorer and anyone else involved all bear 100% responsibility for what happened. Right now we are at least at a 200% level of responsibility between the two parties directly involved. They're guns, not toys; an irrational level of responsibility is the only acceptable level of responsibility.

*Fixed spelling. arrrr

 

[Iceland Heavy]

I initially thought this was a freak accident during filming like the one that killed Brandon Lee but if there was plenty of live ammo on set with the ludicrously unsafe circumstances that were ongoing then yeah, they should have stopped filming or at the very least Baldwin should've checked every weapon handed to him regardless of what he was told about it.

 

[Corndog]

I'd say she was cursed but I think the only curse is "Irresponsibility with a touch of stupid" because death follows her around. Sure, sure. Here's the keys to my bike

 

[A_throwaway_name62919]

He isn't being charged not because he is Baldwin but because he is in an environment that has a system in place that takes the onus off of the actors - all actors - and rightly so because demanding that Actors become experts on knowing the difference between live rounds, black rounds, rounds with wadding etc. is just silly.

I don't see why we shouldn't demand that actors handling guns become experts on knowing the difference between those things. Plenty of actors for movies involving guns and the military got put through some military and firearms training so that they could know how to properly act the part and had some safety training. An actor doing some final verification of the weapon they've been handed is a pretty light demand in comparison.

 

[snailslime]

No, I fucking didn't.

Read my post again.

https://kiwifarms.st/threads/alec-b...ills-one-injures-another.103455/post-10299299

The Ray Liotta/Jeffery Wright part was an addition edited in that had nothing to do with the original post, which was about Adam Baldwins tweet. I didn't comment on that article at all and just put it in there because I saw it in the tweet chain of the Baldwin tweet.

Edit: In fact, in the following post, I pretty clearly state what the Jeffery Wright/Ray Liotta article stated. Meaning I did in fact read it.

https://kiwifarms.st/threads/alec-b...ills-one-injures-another.103455/post-10300116

Once again, stop making shit up and take the fucking L. You even gave a disagree sticker with that post FFS, so clearly you're the reddit fag here not reading anything.

lol calm down

 

[Mike Stoklasa]

lol calm down

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

I'd say she was cursed but I think the only curse is "Irresponsibility with a touch of stupid" because death follows her around. Sure, sure. Here's the keys to my bike

I've been seeing this sort of behavior worryingly increase in the past ten years, after being on a comparative downswing the previous 20; for various reasons, but probably due to awareness campaigns & penalties that kicked into high gear during the 80's and 90's. I remember punchbowls for keys being a thing at highschool parties & even the crustiest gutterpunk bashes, where only 3 people actually had cars, and anyone attempting to remove them prior to noon the next day was shamed into submission.

But at some point people seemed to start acting like they expect to be respawned, (suspiciously) concurrent with the explosion of gaming, along with social media (for the updoots). And even when actions bearing consequences happen to others close by/with frequency, they still wave it off as "it'll never happen to me" and continue on as normal.

It even applies to simple shit like seatbelts. For probably 30 years not wearing one was unthinkable; but now every single time I've had to ride with someone under the age of 25, I've needed to *tell* someone in the vehicle to put their seatbelts on; the workplace is no better. Hannah Gutierrez is the worst-case example of this complacency, and people like her who should know better seem to have become disturbingly common.

 

[Product Placement]

‘Rust’ Armorer Denies Live Ammo Was Used on Set, AD Admits He Didn’t Check Chamber​

The first assistant director on “Rust,” David Halls, acknowledged to investigators that he should have checked a weapon for live rounds before giving it to Alec Baldwin, according to a search warrant affidavit filed on Wednesday.

Baldwin fired the weapon while rehearsing a scene last Thursday at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and the director, Joel Souza. Hutchins was airlifted to a hospital in Albuquerque, where she died.

Detectives had earlier disclosed that Halls declared the weapon was a “cold gun,” before giving it to Baldwin, meaning it did not contain live rounds. The affidavit filed on Wednesday includes new details from Halls’ interview with detectives, as well as details from an interview with Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the armorer on the film.



“David advised when Hannah showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds,” the affidavit states. “He advised he should have checked all of them, but didn’t, and couldn’t recall if she spun the drum.”

Gutierrez Reed told investigators that live ammunition was not used on the set. However, Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters on Wednesday that multiple live rounds were possibly recovered from the scene, in addition to the one that killed Hutchins and lodged in Souza’s shoulder.

Gutierrez Reed also stated that the guns were kept secure in a safe in the prop truck during lunch, and that only a few people had access to the safe. She said that after lunch, Sarah Zachry, the film’s property master, got the firearms out of the truck and gave them to her.

“When Affiant asked about live ammo on set, Hannah responded no live-ammo is ever kept on set,” the affidavit states.

Gutierrez Reed had checked the “dummy” rounds earlier in the day, to ensure they were not “hot” rounds, according to her interview. She told deputies that the ammunition was kept on a cart during lunch, where it was not secured.

Halls was also asked about safety practices with weapons on set.

“I check the barrel for obstructions, most of he time there’s no live fire, she (Hannah) opens the hatch and spins the drum, and I say ‘cold gun on set,’” he told investigators. He added that he was not sure whether she spun the drum in this instance.

Investigators obtained the warrant in order to conduct a search of the prop truck.

Mary Carmack-Altwies, the local district attorney, said at a press conference on Wednesday that it is too soon to say whether charges will be filed.

“If the facts and the evidence and law support charges, then I will initiate prosecution at that time,” Carmack-Altwies said. “I am a prosecutor that was elected in part because I do not make rash decisions and I do not rush to judgment.”

The film crew was shooting a scene inside a church building on the ranch. According to earlier affidavits, Baldwin was practicing cross-drawing the firearm while seated in a church pew, and was demonstrating how he would point it toward the camera, when it went off. Souza told investigators that he heard a loud pop, and that Hutchins then grabbed her midsection and stumbled backwards, before being helped to the ground. Souza also noted that he was bleeding from the shoulder.



The affidavit filed on Wednesday states that in the aftermath, Halls retrieved the gun from the pew.

“After the gun was fired, David Halls picked up the firearm from a pew inside the church, and took it to the Armorer,” the document states. “Hannah then was told to ‘open’ the gun so he could see what was inside. David advised he could only remember seeing at least four ‘dummy’ casings with the hole on the side, and one without the hole. He advised this round did not have the ‘cap’ on it and was just the casing. David advised the incident was not a deliberate act.”

Gutierrez Reed gave the gun to deputies once they arrived on the scene.

‘Rust’ AD Admits He Didn’t Check Rounds Before Handing Gun to Alec Baldwin

The first assistant director on “Rust,” David Halls, acknowledged to investigators that he should have checked a weapon for live rounds before giving it to Alec Baldwin, according to a …

variety.com

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

“David advised when Hannah showed him the firearm before continuing rehearsal, he could only remember seeing three rounds,” the affidavit states. “He advised he should have checked all of them, but didn’t, and couldn’t recall if she spun the drum.”

This shit has gone from unreal to surreal, and then some sort of flag-waving fucked-up besides.

She even lied to investigators; and prior to this I saw reports that rounds were removed from the firearm and/or scene after the shot. How is this whore not in handcuffs?

 

[Getting tard comed]

Just to clarify, is anything other than an actual bullet able to go through somebody's stomach/chest and then hit someone else in the shoulder injuring them. Want to know if this chick's lie is ridiculous or just normal cya for idiots.

 

[Corndog]

I'm assuming this is her linkedin. It wasn't even her main focus of her cinematic career. She WAS an armorer for 4 months, who need more experiece than that? She listed "Creative Problemsolving" as a special skill. I wouldn't have even hired her as a P.A.
Just Wow.

 

[Shiversblood]

Alec Baldwin you can’t blame your mistakes on other people. You are the one who pulled the trigger!

 

[Pocket Dragoon]

Just to clarify, is anything other than an actual bullet able to go through somebody's stomach/chest and then hit someone else in the shoulder injuring them. Want to know if this chick's lie is ridiculous or just normal cya for idiots.

No, but can't tell more about what type of bullet until we know the distances involved & actual positions of the victims; at the very least, jacketed round nose. They wouldn't be plinking with hollowpoints, and wadcutters aren't common like used to be. So yes, all of their lies and cya are ridiculous.

 

[Product Placement]

Alec Baldwin you can’t blame your mistakes on other people. You are the one who pulled the trigger!

Why the fuck are you giving Hannah Gutierrez Reed and David Halls a free pass at this point they are the two most guilty parties. Not to say Baldwin isn't to blame on any level just not to the level they are to blame.

 

[Shiversblood]

Why the fuck are you giving Hannah Gutierrez Reed and David Halls a free pass at this point they are the two most guilty parties. Not to say Baldwin isn't to blame on any level just not to the level they are to blame.

Well I guess he shouldn’t have hired her in the first place then. His fault again.

 

[Getting tard comed]

Why the fuck are you giving Hannah Gutierrez Reed and David Halls a free pass at this point they are the two most guilty parties. Not to say Baldwin isn't to blame on any level just not to the level they are to blame.

Nobody is giving them a free pass. And he is still responsible because he is a producer. Does nobody understand the concept of "the buck stops with the boss". I wouldn't want anyone that is trying to shift blame from Alec Baldwin in charge of anything. When you are the boss(or even an incredibly succesful person) everything is your fault. That's the mentality you have to have. If he had it, he wouldn't be involved in a production where the AD that was hired got fired from his last production of safety issues and the head armorer wouldn't have had 4 months job experience.

 

[Shitpiss Babylord]

Just to clarify, is anything other than an actual bullet able to go through somebody's stomach/chest and then hit someone else in the shoulder injuring them. Want to know if this chick's lie is ridiculous or just normal cya for idiots.

According to the cops, what they pulled out of the director was lead. Now, I'm no gun expert, but I think the primary use of lead when it comes to firearms is as a projectile, right?