SANTA FE, N.M. — The New Mexico sheriff investigating the fatal film-set shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin described complacency, disorganization and neglected safety measures in the making of the low-budget movie “Rust.”
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Tuesday that he is waiting on a forensic analysis of the weapon, projectile, fingerprints and more from the FBI and state medical examiners before turning the 6-month-old case over to prosecutors to decide whether criminal charges will be filed.
“There is a degree of neglect. Whether that reaches the criminal level, that will be up to the district attorney to determine,” the sheriff told “Good Morning America.” On Monday, he released virtually the entire case file of the investigation after a live round of ammunition killed Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza during rehearsal on Oct. 21, 2021. Filming for the Western took place at a ranch on the outskirts of the city of Santa Fe.
The vast trove of newly released law enforcement files includes lapel camera video of the mortally wounded Hutchins slipping in and out of consciousness as an evacuation helicopter arrives. Witness interrogations, email threads, text conversations, inventories of ammunition and hundreds of photographs round out the collection of evidence.
In this image from video released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, Alec Baldwin, left, smokes a cigarette while waiting to speak with investigators following a fatal shooting last year on a movie set in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office via AP
Other videos show investigators as they debrief Baldwin within hours of the fatal shooting, talking with him inside a compact office — and rehearsal clips that show Baldwin in costume as he practices a quick-draw maneuver with a gun.
An attorney for Baldwin says the newly released files corroborate that the actor and “Rust” co-producer was careful with guns on the set.
“Mr. Baldwin welcomes this investigation,” said attorney Luke Nikas in a statement. “The information that has been revealed by the authorities demonstrates, once again, that Mr. Baldwin acted responsibly.”
Under questioning by two investigators, Baldwin says that as the gun went off, he was unaware initially that Hutchins would die and shocked to learn that he had been holding a gun loaded with live ammunition. Baldwin said in a December interview with ABC News that he was on set pointing the gun at Hutchins at her instruction when it went off without his pulling the trigger.
Baldwin told the investigators that the gun should have been empty for a rehearsal with no filming.
“There should have been nothing. It should have been a cold gun with no rounds inside or dummy rounds,” Baldwin says. “I take the gun out slowly. I turn, I cock the pistol. Bang, it goes off. She (Hutchins) hits the ground.”
