Last year’s deadly shooting of a cinematographer by actor Alec Baldwin was an accident, according to a study by the Office of the Medical Investigator of New Mexico.
Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas, responded angrily to the findings, stating that the newest study determines that the shooting death of Halyna Hutchins was a ‘tragic accident.’
She had reached age 42.
The most current conclusion was reached after completing an autopsy and reviewing law enforcement records.
An previous FBI investigation of the pistol in Baldwin’s hand during the rehearsal indicated that it was operational and would not have fired unless the hammer was completely cocked and the trigger was pressed.
Monday, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released the medical investigator’s findings along with many FBI records on the revolver and ammo seized after the incident.
Luke Nikas said Fox News, in response to the medical investigator’s findings, that “the most important report is that of the medical examiner, who decided that this was a terrible accident.”
The attorney continued, ‘This is the third time New Mexico authorities have determined that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was ‘cold,’ and that he believed the gun to be safe.’
Nikas said, “The FBI report is being misinterpreted.” When the hammer was moved back during testing, the pistol shot just once — without the need to pull the trigger — and shattered in two distinct locations.
Due to its terrible state, the FBI was unable to fire the weapon in any previous test, even while pushing the trigger.
Prosecutors have not yet determined whether or not to pursue charges in the case, stating that they are reviewing the most recent allegations and awaiting mobile phone data from Baldwin’s counsel.
On October 21, Baldwin was pointing a pistol at cinematographer Hutchins when it discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
They had been inside a tiny church while setting up a scenario for shooting.
Hannah Gutierrez Reed, a spokesperson for the film’s armorer, told Fox that she has been made a scapegoat after the tragedy.
The spokesperson also stated, “The newly released FBI report shows the revolver was in good working order and that Baldwin pulled the trigger to fire the revolver, directly contradicting his prior statements and those of Assistant Director Halls, through his attorney, who also claimed Baldwin did not pull the trigger.”
Baldwin’s legal team saw the medical investigator’s findings as more evidence that the shooting was “a sad accident” and that he should not face criminal charges. However, it is too early to judge how much weight the report will have with the district attorney’s office.
“This is the third time the New Mexico authorities have determined that Alec Baldwin had no authority or knowledge of the allegedly unsafe conditions on the set, that he was told by the person in charge of safety on the set that the gun was “cold,” and that he believed the gun to be safe,” said Baldwin’s attorney, Luke Nikas.
Baldwin said in a December interview with ABC News that the revolver discharged while he was aiming it at Hutchins per her instructions on the set of the Western film ‘Rust’. He said that he had not pulled the trigger. The FBI investigation indicated that, with the hammer in the fully cocked position, the pistol could not be forced to fire without pushing the trigger as long as the internal components remained functioning.
The FBI reportedly shattered pieces of the trigger sear and cylinder stop when striking the hammer during testing of the firearm.
This resulted in the hammer falling and the firing pin detonating the priming.
The study claimed, “This was the lone successful discharge throughout testing, and it was attributable to the fracture of internal components rather than the failure of the weapon or safety devices.”
According to the FBI investigation, it was unknown how many times the revolver’s hammer may have been hit during testing.
Baldwin, who was also a producer on the film “Rust,” previously said that the pistol should not have been loaded during the practice.
In the building where the incident took place, live ammo was discovered on a cart and in a holster. Additionally, blank and fake cartridges were detected.
In an April investigation, the New Mexico Occupational Health and Safety Bureau documented safety failings in violation of normal industry norms, including evidence that production supervisors took minimal or no action to resolve two misfires on set before to the fatal shooting.
The bureau also recorded concerns from crew members about firearm safety that went unanswered and said that weapons experts were not permitted to make choices regarding extra safety training.
In concluding that the shooting was an accident, the New Mexico medical investigator’s office cited “the lack of clear intent to inflict damage or death” and “no convincing proof” that the handgun was loaded with live bullets on the set.