Questions surrounding the tragic shooting on the set of Rust continue to be asked — including whether or not anyone will be held legally responsible.
In October 2021, a gun that was inadvertently loaded with live rounds was used by Alec Baldwin as a prop in the film. The weapon was discharged, striking and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and hospitalizing director Joel Souza.
The shocking incident rocked Hollywood and sparked an investigation by the Sheriff’s Department in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and as the details of the incident came to light, the drama surrounding tensions on set and arguments over culpability raged.
The film’s assistant director, the armorer, and even Baldwin himself, who was also a producer on Rust, have all faced criticism and speculation regarding their possible roles in the shooting, while the Santa Fe District Attorney plans on announcing whether or not any charges will be pressed on Thursday.
ET has been covering the story since the news first broke on Oct. 21, 2021. Here’s everything that has come to light in the days since the fatal shooting.
The Initial Incident
On the evening of Oct. 22, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department confirmed to ET that Baldwin discharged a gun that was being used as a prop on the set of his western drama, Rust, which was filming on the Bonanza Creek Ranch.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, was transported by helicopter to the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, according to authorities. She was pronounced dead by medical personnel at the hospital.
Director Joel Souza, 48, received emergency medical care after being transported by ambulance to Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical center in Santa Fe. He was later released.
Baldwin was reportedly questioned by investigators at the Sheriff’s Department, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. The 63-year-old actor was also photographed outside the Sheriff’s Department after answering questions, and was reportedly in tears as he spoke with someone on the phone.
Alec Baldwin Speaks Out
One day after the incident, Baldwin took to Twitter to address the on-set tragedy.
“There are no words to convey my shock and sadness regarding the tragic accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours,” he wrote. “I’m fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family.”
Baldwin Was Allegedly Told the Gun Was Safe
According to an affidavit filed by the Santa Fe County’s Sheriff’s Office obtained by The Associated Press and The New York Times, assistant director Dave Halls unintentionally handed the actor the weapon and told him it was safe to use.
Per the affidavit, the assistant director did not know the prop gun was loaded with live rounds. It also notes that the weapon that was fired and Baldwin’s wardrobe, which was blood-stained, were taken as evidence. Other prop guns, ammunition and any footage that might exist were also confiscated, AP reports. It’s still unclear how many rounds were fired.
The Production Already Faced Troubles
Rust reportedly had a series of problems before Hutchins’ tragic death and Souza’s injury.
Multiple reports noted that prior to the fatal shooting, many union crew members walked off set in protest of “poor” working conditions. There had also been at least one incident of a prop gun misfiring on the Rust set prior to the fatal accident, Deadline reported.
“The safety of our cast and crew is the top priority of Rust Productions and everyone associated with the company. Though we were not made aware of any official complaints concerning weapon or prop safety on set, we will be conducting an internal review of our procedures while production is shut down,” Rust Movie Productions, LLC said in a statement to ET. “We will continue to cooperate with the Santa Fe authorities in their investigation and offer mental health services to the cast and crew during this tragic time.”
On Nov. 3, Lane Luper, the former camera assistant for Rust, appeared on Good Morning America, and revealed why he quit the project a day prior to the fatal shooting.
Luper cited “lax COVID policies, the housing situation… and specifically gun safety, a lack of rehearsals, a lack of preparing the crew for what we were doing that day,” as reasons for his resignation, stating, “I only personally remember two safety meetings that involved the entire crew.”
Producers of the film disputed Luper’s claims to ABC News, calling them “patently false,” and noting that “he had absolutely nothing to do with, or knowledge of, safety protocols” on the set.
Rust Shuts Down Production
Shortly after the shooting, a memo was sent out by the Rust production team to the cast and crew of the film, noting that they “have made the decision to wrap the set at least until the investigations are complete.”
“Although our hearts are broken, and it is hard to see beyond the horizon, this is, at the moment, a pause rather than an end,” read the memo. “The spirit that brought us all to this special place remains.”
The message further stated that they are cooperating with authorities in their investigation and are also “conducting an internal review of safety protocols.”
That statement noted the production team will “remain in close touch with Halyna’s family and commend the strength they show in the face of unspeakable tragedy.”
“We will be making a donation to the Halyna Hutchins Scholarship Fund established by Halyna’s family,” the message concluded. “We will be matching any donations by the crew.”
However, when Baldwin was asked if he thought the movie would resume production, he said, “No, I don’t.”
Assistant Director Dave Halls Had Been Fired From Past Productions
According to a CNN report published on Oct. 25, the assistant director was previously the subject of complaints on the set of two productions in 2019.
The complaints leveled against Halls accused him of unsafe practices, a disregard for safety protocols with regard to firearms used during filming, and inappropriate behavior toward crew members. The complaints stemmed from his work on two episodes of the Hulu anthology horror series Into the Dark.
ET also learned that Halls was fired from the set of the 2019 drama Freedom’s Path. The film’s production company, Rocket Soul Studios, released a statement to ET regarding his termination from the project.
“First of all, our condolences go out to everyone affected by the recent tragic event in New Mexico,” the statement shared. “We can confirm that Dave Halls was fired from the set of Freedom’s Path in 2019 after a crew member incurred a minor and temporary injury when a gun was unexpectedly discharged. Halls was removed from set immediately after the prop gun discharged. Production did not resume filming until Dave was off-site. An incident report was taken and filed at that time.”
Rust Director Joel Souza Says He’s “Gutted” by Hutchins’ Death
In a statement shared with NBC News on Oct. 24, Souza, who has since been released from the hospital, said he was “gutted” by the loss of his friend and colleague.
“She was kind, vibrant, incredibly talented, fought for every inch and always pushed me to be better,” he said. “My thoughts are with her family at this most difficult time.”
Souza continued, “I am humbled and grateful by the outpouring of affection we have received from our filmmaking community, the people of Santa Fe, and the hundreds of strangers who have reached out…It will surely aid in my recovery.”
More Details Around the Fatal Shooting Emerge From People on Set
Serge Svetnoy, the chief electrician on the set of Rust, accused the film’s 24-year-old armorer and the producers of “negligence and unprofessionalism.” He took to Facebook on Oct. 24, to lay blame on who he claims is responsible for Hutchins’ death.
“I was holding her in my arms while she was dying. Her blood was on my hands,” Svetnoy wrote in his post, which was also penned in Russian. “I want to tell my opinion on why this has happened. I think I have the right to do it. It’s the fault of negligence and unprofessionalism.”
Svetnoy explained how he’d worked with Hutchins on previous films, and says he was “standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Halyna during this fatal shot that took her life.” The crew member went on to slam the producers of the film for not having “professionals” working on set.
Firearms Expert Says a Real Gun Killed Halyna Hutchins
Firearms expert Steve Wolf provided insight into how an incident like this could occur. He explained to ET that, while the gun was used in the film as a prop, it was still very much a real, working firearm and the term “prop gun” is a misnomer, and has been misused in reports on the incident.
“The gun that Helena was shot with was not a prop gun. A prop gun is a gun that has either been modified to only accept blanks, or has been specifically manufactured to only accept blanks,” Wolf explained. “If bullets came out of this gun it was not a prop gun. It was a real gun that was being used as a prop in the movie.”
According to a report from The Wrap, crew members on the film allegedly used the gun for target practice, shooting beer cans with real ammunition, to pass time on set. This could potentially explain how a real bullet got confused for a fake and remained in the gun.
“Don’t bring guns on the set that you can put bullets into. Don’t have live ammo on the set,” Wolf said. “And most importantly don’t point a gun at someone that doesn’t pose a threat to you.”
Rust Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Breaks Her Silence
In a statement to ET, Gutierrez-Reed’s attorneys, Jason Bowles and Robert Gorence, extended her deepest and most sincere condolences to Hutchins’ family and friends. “Hannah is devastated and completely beside herself over the events that have transpired,” the statement reads in part, before addressing “some untruths that have been told to the media, which have falsely portrayed her and slandered her.”
“Safety is Hannah’s number one priority on set,” her lawyers stated. “Ultimately this set would never have been compromised if live ammo were not introduced. Hannah has no idea where the live rounds came from. Hannah and the prop master gained control over the guns and she never witnessed anyone shoot live rounds with these guns and nor would she permit that. They were locked up every night and at lunch and there’s no way a single one of them was unaccounted for or being shot by crew members. Hannah still, to this day, has never had an accidental discharge. The first one on this set was the prop master and the second was a stunt man after Hannah informed him his gun was hot with blanks.”
Her legal council further claimed in the statement that the “whole production set became unsafe due to various factors, including lack of safety meetings,” and added that “this was not the fault of Hannah.”
On Nov. 3, Bowles spoke out on GMA, stating that discovering how live rounds got on the set is “going to be critical” amid the ongoing investigation.
“We know Hannah did not put the live rounds in that box, we know the live rounds shouldn’t have been in that box, but they were… There is no purpose for a live round on this set. Zero. Hannah made that clear,” he said. “There was no reason for there to be live rounds, she didn’t have live rounds, she didn’t purchase any of this ammunition. This ammunition was purchased by other people, production. Whoever brought these live rounds on set was wrong, and I think they had a bad intention. That’s what we believe.”
Alec Baldwin Speaks on Camera for the First Time
On Oct. 30, Baldwin addressed the incident on camera while in Vermont with his family.
“I’m not allowed to make any comments because it’s an ongoing investigation. I’ve been ordered by the Sheriff’s Department in Santa Fe. I can’t answer any questions about the investigation. I can’t,” he said. “It’s an active investigation in terms of a woman died.”
“She was my friend. She was my friend,” he continued of Hutchins. “The day I arrived in Santa Fe to start shooting, I took her to dinner with Joel, the director. We were a very, very well-oiled crew shooting a film together, and then this horrible event happened. I’ve been told multiple times, ‘Don’t make any comments about the ongoing investigation.’ I can’t.”
Baldwin noted that he’s spoken to Hutchins’ husband, Matthew, saying, “The guy is overwhelmed with grief.”
Assistant Director Dave Halls Speaks Out
On Nov. 2, Halls, the assistant director on Rust, spoke out for the first time in a statement to ET.
“Halyna Hutchins was not just one of the most talented people I’ve worked with, but also a friend,” Halls told ET, via his attorney, Lisa Torraco. “I’m shocked and saddened by her death. It’s my hope that this tragedy prompts the industry to reevaluate its values and practices to ensure no one is harmed through the creative process again.”
“I have been overwhelmed by the love and support,” he continues. “My thoughts are with all who knew and loved Halyna.”
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