The gun Alec Baldwin fired on the set of Rust wasn’t thoroughly checked before it was given to him, according to legal documents, as a fundraiser for the cinematographer killed passed $227,000.

Halyna Hutchins died when Baldwin fired the gun during a rehearsal last Thursday, while director Joel Souza was injured.

Further details emerged at a news conference on Wednesday by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, and in an affidavit by the sheriff’s department.

Baldwin also retweeted a New York Times article on the newly released documents that said assistant director Dave Halls had failed to check the gun before handing it to him.

The prop gun was one of three selected and placed on a table for the rehearsal.

A previous affidavit stated that Halls shouted “cold gun” before handing it to Baldwin.

But the new documents state that he “advised [police] he should have checked all of them, but didn’t” – referring to the barrels of the revolver.

Meanwhile, a fundraiser in memory of Ms Hutchins has passed $227,000 (£164,564), smashing the original $10,000 (£7,249) goal.

American Horror Story actress Sarah Paulson is one of several Hollywood figures to have donated cash.

Sheriff Mendoza told reporters there was a complacent attitude towards safety on the set.

Hannah Gutierrez, the crew member in charge of weapons, told investigators she had checked the guns but found no “hot rounds” – apparently meaning live ammunition – before the shooting, according to the affidavit.

On Monday it emerged that Halls was fired from a previous movie in 2019 over a mishap with a gun, according to production company Rocket Soul.

Mendoza and Carmack-Altwies said no criminal charges had been filed but that “all options are on the table”.

Legal experts have said that charges are possible, but not likely against Baldwin.

Authorities have collected three firearms, 500 rounds of ammunition, and several pieces of clothing from the Santa Fe set.

They have also recovered the round that killed Ms Hutchins from the shoulder of Mr Souza. All the evidence is being sent to an FBI lab for analysis, Mr Mendoza said.

Source: Read Full Article