Halyna Hutchins death: Alec Baldwin may face criminal charges after FBI report states trigger WAS pulled
BONANZA CREEK RANCH, SANTA FE: A new FBI report in the case of Halyna Hutchins' death stated that the gun would only have shot a bullet if the trigger had been pulled. The new report revealed that Alec Baldwin claimed that playing with the hammer was insufficient to get the gun to fire.
The report further rejects 'The Boss Baby' star's claim that he pulled the trigger on the gun, which was supposed to be loaded with dummy bullets. The incident that led to Hutchin's death happened in October 2021, when Baldwin accidentally shot Hutchins on the set of his film ‘Rust’. Director Joel Souza was injured in the same incident at Bonanza Creek Ranch, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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In an earlier video, the Santa Fe County police revealed their initial interaction with Baldwin and how he narrated the incident. He has consistently denied that he pulled the trigger on the gun. Baldwin claims it was loaded with dummy bullets. However, a new report by the FBI concluded that it could not have been fired unless the trigger was pulled. This indicates that he will still face criminal charges for the incident. Santa Fe Sheriff's department confirms that the case will be passed to the District Attorney for further procedures.
Authorities said on Saturday, August 13, that they are awaiting the actor's phone records, and the Attorney has been working closely with the police to understand the case. However, detectives will review the documents, and a case file will then be sent to the DA to determine if any charges can be filed.
The FBI forensic report has examined all of the areas of the fatal accident for a broader investigation. One part of the report revealed the revolver, namely, a single-action 45 Colt caliber F.lli Pietta, cannot be fired without someone pulling the trigger. According to a report by ABC News, the police decided to conduct an accidental discharge test, but it is unclear if this was with the same gun or an identical copy of the weapon. The report also suggests that when the gun is working well, it will not release a bullet and primer simultaneously.
In an interview with ABC News, Baldwin stated he had pulled back the hammer and posed with it for the camera while Halyna coached him on the positioning. Later during the inquiry, he claimed he was told that he was holding a "cold gun", which indicates it was a gun with a dummy load. The actor said that he released it, and it fired without him pulling the trigger, with Baldwin adding, "I did not pull the trigger." The recent FBI report reveals that the action could set off a gunshot sound without discharging a bullet. These findings could still lead to criminal charges against the actor and others involved in the accidental shooting.
In an October 2021 interview with Today show, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated that criminal charges against the culprits could not be ruled out. He said, "It’s too early to rule anything out right now; I don’t think anybody’s off the hook regarding criminal charges. I’ve said this before, I think there was complacency on the set. There was disorganization and a degree of negligence — whether that rises to a criminal level, that will be up to the district attorney."
When Baldwin was interviewed by the Sheriffs, the actor stated on the day of the shooting, a box of dummy bullets that had gone missing suddenly reappeared. After the accident, the crew returned to the box and found live rounds had been mixed in with the dummy rounds, he claimed. Baldwin was adamant that the sheriff's investigators should question Hannah Gutierrez, the armorer, about the box. However, Hannah has repeatedly stated her innocence to the public through various statements.
During the Inquiry, the police officer told Baldwin, "I have some unfortunate news. She didn't make it". He shot back in his seat, saying, "No!" and asked if he can be excused to phone his wife, Hilaria. Baldwin left the room with his head in his hands. Later, he was found in the parking lot of the sheriff's office. Baldwin was reportedly fired from many films because of this alleged criminal offense. No one has been criminally charged over the shooting, but the Hutchins family is suing Baldwin. However, New Mexico´s Occupational Health and Safety Bureau released an order to Rust Movie Productions to pay $136,793, for safety failures in violation of standard industry protocols.