Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' movie shooting: Criminal charges 'on the table,' district attorney says
Article by Nate Day for Fox News
Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' movie shooting: Criminal charges 'on the table,' district attorney says
The shooting resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins
The accidental shooting on the set of the upcoming western film "Rust" could result in criminal charges, according to a New Mexico district attorney.
Mary Carmack-Altwies of the state's first district told The New York Times that authorities "haven’t ruled out anything" when it comes to the future of the case.
On Thursday, actor Alec Baldwin was rehearsing a scene for the film on a ranch near Santa Fe when he discharged a firearm he was told was cold or "unloaded."
A projectile from the gun struck and ultimately killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Director Joel Souza was also wounded but has since been released from a hospital.
"Everything at this point, including criminal charges, is on the table," Carmack-Altwies told the Times.
It's still unclear what was loaded into the gun at the time of the shooting, and the district attorney said authorities were focusing on ballistics to determine what was loaded into the gun, according to the Times.
The firearm was reportedly handed to Baldwin by "Rust" assistant director Dave Halls, who believed the gun was "cold," meaning he believed it contained no form of ammunition or blanks.
The investigation is also trying to determine who loaded the gun, the outlet reports.
"There were an enormous amount of bullets on this set, and we need to find out what kinds they were," she explained. A warrant obtained by Fox News on Tuesday revealed that authorities collected ammunition and multiple firearms from the set amid their investigation – though the inventory did not specify the type of ammunition found.
In the days since the incident, the firearm that was discharged has been referred to as a prop gun, but Carmack-Altwies took issue with the term.
"It was a legit gun," she said, though did not mention a specific kind. "It was an antique, era-appropriate gun."
"Rust" is a western-genre film starring Baldwin and "Supernatural" alum Jensen Ackles.
People who were on the set of the film at the time of the shooting were still being interviewed by detectives, the DA said.
"It’s probably weeks, if not months, of follow-up investigation that we’re going to need to get to the point of charging," she added.
Similarly, the Sante Fe Medical Examiner & Coroner recently told Fox News the Hutchins autopsy could take "six to 10 weeks" or more.
Carmack-Altwies told the Times that she was unaware of reports that have circulated indicating that crew members used the weapons for leisure shooting in the hours before the incident, calling such reports "unconfirmed.
She also said that the case is among the most challenging in Santa Fe County in recent memory.
"We have complex cases all the time," she said. "But this kind of complex case, with these kinds of prominent people, no."
The DA will speak with reporters on Wednesday morning alongside Sheriff Adan Mendoza.
Fox News has reached out to Carmack-Altwies for further comment.
It's unclear who charges would be filed against, though some think Baldwin could face charges.
"Alec Baldwin is presumably in charge because he’s the producer and has a great voice on the budget here," famed criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos told Fox News. "I guarantee you they’re also looking at whether or not people were shaving money or trying to cut costs and [whether] this is one of the results of that."
Geragos also mentioned he "would be shocked if there wasn’t an involuntary manslaughter charge brought in this case."
No charges have been filed in the "Rust" shooting incident as of late Tuesday. Prosecutors and law enforcement officers were expected to provide an update on the investigation Wednesday.
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