"Heartbroken" Alec Baldwin was told prop gun was safe

by · IrishCentral

Alec Baldwin was told that a prop gun was safe moments before the actor fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, court documents show.

A search warrant filed in a court in Santa Fe, New Mexico states that an assistant director on the film set of Baldwin's movie "Rust" handed the actor a loaded weapon and told him that it was a "cold gun". 

However, the gun was loaded with live rounds and Baldwin fatally shot Hutchins in the chest when he unwittingly fired the weapon. 

The shot also hit director Joel Souza, who was standing behind Hutchins, in the shoulder. 

Read more

Souza was injured and has since been released from Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center. 

Investigators obtained a warrant on Friday to document the scene where the accidental shooting took place at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe. 

Police took the prop gun into evidence along with Baldwin's blood-soaked costume, while they also seized other prop guns and ammunition that were being used on the set. 

The prop gun that Baldwin fired had been placed on a wooden cart alongside two other guns by the film's armorer. 

The assistant director subsequently grabbed the gun and brought it inside a wooden structure where a scene was being acted before handing it to Baldwin. 

In a statement, Baldwin described Hutchins as a "deeply-admired colleague" and said that he was devastated by the incident. 

"There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother, and deeply admired colleague of ours," Baldwin said on Twitter. 

"I'm fully co-operating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family.

"My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna." 

Hutchins' husband Matt also paid tribute to his late wife on Twitter. 

"Halyna inspired us all with her passion and vision, and her legacy is too meaningful to encapsulate in words," Matt Hutchins said. "Our loss is enormous, and we ask that the media please respect my family’s privacy as we process our grief. We thank everyone for sharing images and stories of her life." 

Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish!

Subscribe to IrishCentral