Actor Alec Baldwin answered questions from police shortly after the “Rust” shooting.
On Monday, April 25, the Santa Fe County Sheriff released “all files associated with our ongoing investigation.” On October 21, cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was injured after a gun that actor Alec Baldwin was holding discharged. The “30 Rock” actor said the gun must have misfired when he pointed it at the camera during rehearsals at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe.
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office has released video footage of the “30 Rock” actor moments after cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed and Joel Souza was injured.
Alec Baldwin Questioned About Halyna Hutchins’ Death On ‘Rust’ Set
In the video, Baldwin can still be seen wearing his costume. He’s approached by an officer who says, “How’s it going, sir? Um, so my understanding. Um, you were…. You were in the room when the lady… was shot?”
“I was the one with the gun, yeah,” Baldwin replies. He asks, “What do you need?” as the officer says, “All righty.”
“Um, well, I know your name, so it’s um… uh…” the officer continues. At this point, Baldwin raises the telephone to his ear and says, “Let me call you back, okay?”
“Let me get you my lieutenant and see what we want,” the officer says. “See where we want you to hang out, okay?”
“Whatever you want to do,” Baldwin replies.
Alec Baldwin Answers Officer Questions: ‘The Guy Who Was Shot’
At another point, Baldwin can be seen talking to what looks to be other crew members about earplugs and pointing to his ear.
“Who’s the director on scene?” the officer asks.
“The guy who was shot,” Baldwin says.
Another person can be heard saying, “I think he’s in the ambulance.”
When the officer asks about a production car, another man says that there is an A.V. and points to somewhere in the distance. Baldwin says “I’m happy to stay right here” but the officer conveyed that the lieutenant wanted Baldwin to “stay away from everybody and not to talk to nobody.”
Baldwin repeated that he would stay right where he was and the officer asked the crew members around him to step back. When one of the crew members asks Baldwin if he wants a water, Baldwin asks for a cigarette.
When asked how many people were in the room, Baldwin replies, “It’s a crew” and directed the officer to another crew member who had more information.
The Bullet Reportedly Passed Through Halyna Hutchins’ Body
In another video, they are discussing the injuries that happened moments before the video was taken. Director Joel Souza was shot in the shoulder. Hutchins passed away at the scene. The officer can be heard describing that it entered the right side of her body under her arm and exited the back left shoulder blade.
“So it went across her body,” Baldwin said. Crew members could be heard gasping and crying. Someone said, “But she was conscious and responsive.” Baldwin was sitting with Dave Halls, the movie’s AD.
The officer can be heard saying that Halyna is “in good hands.” Another woman said that she went over to a woman named Sarah who was “crying and shaking.”
“I don’t know anything about it,” it sounds like Baldwin is saying in the video.
‘Rust’ Investigation Is Still ‘Open And Ongoing’
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza noted that the investigation is still “open and ongoing,” as per Deadline. However, he noted that “the sheriff’s office is releasing all files associated with our ongoing investigation.”
“The files are all related to the Rust movie set investigation and include lapel/dash camera footage from deputies and detectives, incident reports, crime scene photos, examination reports, witness interviews, set video, and staff photos collected throughout the course of this investigation,” Sheriff Mendoza explained.
According to the Santa Fe sheriff, “various components of the investigation remain outstanding including, FBI firearm and ballistic forensics along with DNA and latent fingerprint analysis, Office of the New Mexico Medical Examiner findings report and the analysis of Mr. Alec Baldwin’s phone data extracted by Suffolk County Sheriff’s investigators.”
“Once these investigative components are provided to the sheriff’s office we will be able to complete the investigation to forward it to the Santa Fe District Attorney for review,” he added.
Late last week, the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau issued a “willful-serious citation” against the production company with a $136,793 civil penalty, which is “the highest level of citation and maximum fine allowable by state law in New Mexico,” according to the Bureau, which went on to say, “Rust Movie Productions, LLC was cited for the plain indifference to the recognized hazards associated with the use of firearms on set that resulted in a fatality, severe injury, and unsafe working conditions.”
