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Gun in deadly 'Rust' set incident couldn't be fired without pulling trigger, according to FBI forensic evidence

2022-08-15T01:58:28.450Z


In December, Baldwin told ABC News that he never pulled the trigger on the gun that shot Hutchins. "The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger," Baldwin said.


Alec Baldwin: "I would never point a gun and pull the trigger" 0:51

(CNN) -

FBI tests of the weapon used in the deadly incident on the "Rust" film set found that the device wielded by actor Alec Baldwin could not be fired without pulling the trigger while the gun was cocked, according to a report. newly published forensics.

Baldwin had the gun while rehearsing a scene for the

western

at Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico in October when a shot was fired, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

In December, Baldwin told ABC News that he never pulled the trigger on the gun that shot Hutchins.

"The trigger wasn't pulled. I didn't pull the trigger," Baldwin said.

An attorney for the actor told CNN on Sunday that the FBI report "is being misconstrued."

"The gun fired on test only once — without having to pull the trigger — when the firing pin was moved back and the gun broke in two different places," attorney Luke Nikas said in an email to CNN.

"The FBI was unable to fire the gun in any prior tests, including when he pulled the trigger, because it was in such poor condition."

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  • Video of Alec Baldwin's initial interview released after deadly shooting on 'Rust' set

"The critical report is that of the medical examiner, who concluded that it was a tragic accident," Nikas said.

"This is the third time New Mexico authorities have discovered that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of allegedly unsafe conditions on set, that he was told by the person in charge of on-location security that the gun was 'cold.' , and I believed the gun was safe," Nikas told CNN.

In the post-mortem inquest summary into Hutchins' death, which was formally signed by New Mexico's chief medical investigator, the cause of death is listed as "gunshot wound to the chest" and the manner of death is listed as "accident".

"Review of available police reports did not show any convincing demonstration that the firearm was intentionally loaded with live ammunition on set. Based on all available information, including the absence of obvious intent to cause harm or death , the manner of death is best classified as an accident,” the report concluded.

Baldwin, in the ABC News interview, also described cocking the gun while discussing the scene with Hutchins.

“So I told him, 'Now, in this scene, I'm going to the gun.'

And I said, 'Do you want to see that?'

And she said 'yes.'

So I take the gun and start cocking the gun.

I'm not going to pull the trigger."

Cocking a revolver pistol like the one used on the film set involves pulling the firing pin of the gun back to prime the gun to fire.

When the firing pin of the weapon is released forward with sufficient force, such as happens when the trigger is pulled, it strikes the primer of a round of ammunition, causing the weapon to fire.

The FBI forensic report was turned over to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office as part of the ongoing investigation into the fatal on-set shooting.

The report found that the weapon, a .45 Colt (.45 Long Colt) F.lli Pietta single-action revolver, "could not be fired without pulling the trigger" with the hammer cocked in the ¼ and ½ positions.

He also found that when the gun was fully cocked, "it could not be fired without pulling the trigger while the internal working components were intact and functional."

FBI examiners noted an internal malfunction of the weapon during testing in the fully cocked position, with the report noting that "portions of the trigger sear and cylinder stopper fractured while the hammer was being struck."

The FBI report noted the limitations of forensic evidence, saying "it may not be possible to recreate or duplicate all of the circumstances that led to the discharge of a firearm without pulling the trigger."

  • Checking Alec Baldwin's gun on 'Rust' set wasn't assistant director's responsibility, attorney says

An attorney representing Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who served as a gunsmith and prop assistant on the film, said the coroner's report indicated that "Baldwin had to have pulled the trigger to fire the revolver" and that the 24-year-old was being used as a "scapegoat".

Part of the Santa Fe County police investigation focuses on how a round of live ammunition could have gotten onto the film set.

In April, Rust Movie Productions, LLC was fined nearly $137,000 and cited for having a culture of "simple disregard for employee safety" on location, according to a report by the Department of Environment's Office of Occupational Safety and Health. New Mexico environment.

CNN's Chloe Melas contributed to this report

Alec Baldwin Rust

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2022-08-15

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